/Khomanin take over land they allegedly lost 69 years ago

After nearly seven decades of struggle, the /Khomanin traditional community has occupied what they say is their ancestral land at !Ao-//Aaexas Farm No. 34.“The land is ours, and we will live on it,” declared social activist Shaun Gariseb, underscoring the community’s unwavering determination to reclaim what they say was taken from them.The /Khomanin people, a Damara clan from the central parts of Namibia, were allegedly forcibly displaced between 1947 and 1957 under apartheid rule, with their land handed over to South African settlers. Despite decades of petitions and negotiations, their pleas for justice went unanswered. A previous attempt to return in 1992 led to arrests. However, on Saturday, they moved in to occupy the land.According to Gariseb, the return to !Ao-//Aaexas Farm No. 34 is more than symbolic - it is a reclamation of identity and heritage. The land, home to over 60 ancestral graves, has remained idle for 25 years. Gariseb noted that the community could no longer stand by while their sacred sites were neglected, as had happened in nearby Baumgartsbrunn.“We have pleaded with the government for years, but our cries fell on deaf ears,” he said. “This land holds the graves of our forefathers. It is not private property - it was stolen and then privatised.”For decades, the /Khomanin have been denied land ownership in the /Khomas Region, while foreign nationals continue to own multiple farms, Gariseb added.Initially, the reoccupation was met with resistance, with police prepared to arrest the more than 40 community members. However, after discussions, a historic agreement was reached with the Roos family, the current landowners.“This is a great day. Our stars are aligning as the /Khomanin people,” Gariseb said. “Even the police who came to arrest us saw the truth of our cause.”Plans are now underway for a meeting with new agriculture minister Mac Hengari to formalise the agreement.The /Khomanin community is now calling for government mediation, the return of their late chief Alfeus !Garigorob Haraseb for burial on ancestral land, and the implementation of Namibia’s second land conference resolutions.“Today, we made history,” Gariseb concluded. “We did what our people have struggled for over 35 years to achieve.”

/Khomanin take over land they allegedly lost 69 years ago

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-02

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/Khomanin take over land they allegedly lost 69 years ago

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-02

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