Nambia President Asks Voluntary Land Reform at Dutch Reformed Congregation

Voice of America ^ | 18 July 2005 | William Eagle

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

On Sunday, Namibian president Hifikepunye Pohamba asked white farmers - who own multiple farms - to give one to landless blacks. He said when it comes to the issue of land reform, he prefers "evolution" to "revolution". Four thousand white farmers - out of a population of nearly two million people - own most of the country’s arable land.

The Nambian leader made his remarks before a congregation of the Dutch Reformed Church, which had participated in apartheid, or racial segregation. Mr. Pohamba is the first president since independence 15 years ago to address the church -- whose membership is predominantly Afrikaaner. His appearance at was seen as a gesture of reconciliation. News reports say that church reverends in turn gave him a special Bible and an antique ostrich egg.

Dr. Ben Fuller is a senior researcher with the namibia economic policy research unit, or NEPRU, in Windhoek, Namibia. He talked to Voice of America reporter William Eagle about the importance of the President’s appearance before the Dutch Reformed Church congregation – and about the progress of land reform in Namibia.

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Despite the conciliatory emphasis here, there have been some involuntary land transfers in Nambia.

[cripplecreek]

Zimbabwe II on the horizon?

[Rodney King]

I hope all white farm owners take this as a sign to sell everything immediately. It should be in the interests of the US to allow such productive farmers to move here, but they aren't Mexican so that won't happen.

[PAMadMax]

Oh boy, Zimbabwe redux.....

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Thanks for everybody's replies. Here is a working link:

http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2005-07-18-voa34.cfm

[republican2005]

Land redistribution worked so well in Zimbabwe... why not try it !

*sarcasm*

[cloud8]

> Zimbabwe redux.....

Namibia has been ruled by SWAPO since independence in 1990. The South West Africa People's Organization is the Marxist group that fought as guerillas during the war of independence that began in 1966.

It doesn't look good for Namibia's white farmers.

[ut1992]

I wonder if the Dutch Reformed Congregation, is actually the Deutsche Reformed Congregation? Wasn't Namibia a German colony?

If I remember correctly the Pennsylvania Dutch, were actually German, but the pronunciation of Deutsch (German for German) is very close to Dutch in English, and that is what the local English speaking folks thought the new immigrants were saying.

Just wondering.