Who's Got The Problem?
The letter is in response to the article 'White farmers' initiative provokes blacks: Nafwu', 11/03/2004.
Dear Mr. Angula The person that feels provoked or rather threatened
by the forming of the NFSI, is you - not all blacks as you are
claiming.
I find it interesting that an organisation with about 100
paid-up members claims to be the voice of all blacks, never mind
farm labourers.
If you would take the time to read the media release of the
NFSI, you'd notice that it clearly states that the NFSI supports
and recognises the need for land redistribution.
The NFSI commits itself completely to the upholding of the
Constitution of Namibia and the guarantee of fundamental human
rights and the needs of all people.
This resolve clearly signals the peaceful intention of the
initiative.
Why are you feeling provoked? Are you denying farmers the right
to lobby for their interests? Maybe you need a lesson or two on the
contents of the Namibian Constitution.
Besides, I would hardly call your recent threats to invade farms
non-provocative.
More likely a national security concern.
You maintain that all white farmers live on "stolen" land.
If this is true, then let us give all the land back to the
ancient inhabitants of the area that makes up our country, to the
San (Bushmen).
They were displaced by livestock-breeding black tribes that
moved southwards for better grazing in pre-colonial times.
Was that not stealing? So where do you draw the line? Political
power does not come with the right to define the meaning of
stealing.
We realise that we are living in the here and now.
Many white farmers alive now are descendants of white settlers -
they are not the ones that took the land away.
I didn't choose my great-great-grandfather to come here from
Europe, just as you did not choose to belong to the black tribe
that once wrongfully displaced the San (Bushmen).
However, you were born here and that gives you the fundamental
human right to make a living here.
If the only way to be called a Namibian were with a black skin,
I would have chosen a black skin.
But I am not given that choice.
Therefore I claim my right to be respected as a full Namibian
citizen even though I am white.
Europe is not my home.
Just accept it.
Another question: How do you categorise white Namibians that
bought farms after independence with hard-earned money? Are they
living on stolen land? Are they any different to black Namibians
that bought farmland after independence with their hard-earned
money? The answer is no - in this country they are regarded as one
and the same.
Unless you would like a return of apartheid laws.
You are complaining about high farm prices.
It seems to me that you and others with similar complaints do
not understand the logic of a free market economy.
In a free market economy, prices will always move to a level
where profits are maximised.
This is what every entity or person in a free market wants to do
- maximise profit.
It is not some elaborate scheme to provoke people.
It is not some personal vendetta aimed at the Government.
Lastly, I ask you what problem does Sigi Eimbeck have? Someone
who realises that the deeper causes for criminality and violence in
this country are the un-addressed needs of people surely doesn't
have a problem.
To think such thoughts when your wife has just been murdered
requires character and integrity.
Between you two, who has the problem?
Siegfried Herholdt
Via e-mail
I find it interesting that an organisation with about 100 paid-up
members claims to be the voice of all blacks, never mind farm
labourers.If you would take the time to read the media release of
the NFSI, you'd notice that it clearly states that the NFSI
supports and recognises the need for land redistribution.The NFSI
commits itself completely to the upholding of the Constitution of
Namibia and the guarantee of fundamental human rights and the needs
of all people.This resolve clearly signals the peaceful intention
of the initiative.Why are you feeling provoked? Are you denying
farmers the right to lobby for their interests? Maybe you need a
lesson or two on the contents of the Namibian Constitution.Besides,
I would hardly call your recent threats to invade farms
non-provocative.More likely a national security concern.You
maintain that all white farmers live on "stolen" land.If this is
true, then let us give all the land back to the ancient inhabitants
of the area that makes up our country, to the San (Bushmen).They
were displaced by livestock-breeding black tribes that moved
southwards for better grazing in pre-colonial times.Was that not
stealing? So where do you draw the line? Political power does not
come with the right to define the meaning of stealing.We realise
that we are living in the here and now.Many white farmers alive now
are descendants of white settlers - they are not the ones that took
the land away.I didn't choose my great-great-grandfather to come
here from Europe, just as you did not choose to belong to the black
tribe that once wrongfully displaced the San (Bushmen).However, you
were born here and that gives you the fundamental human right to
make a living here.If the only way to be called a Namibian were
with a black skin, I would have chosen a black skin.But I am not
given that choice.Therefore I claim my right to be respected as a
full Namibian citizen even though I am white.Europe is not my
home.Just accept it.Another question: How do you categorise white
Namibians that bought farms after independence with hard-earned
money? Are they living on stolen land? Are they any different to
black Namibians that bought farmland after independence with their
hard-earned money? The answer is no - in this country they are
regarded as one and the same.Unless you would like a return of
apartheid laws.You are complaining about high farm prices.It seems
to me that you and others with similar complaints do not understand
the logic of a free market economy.In a free market economy, prices
will always move to a level where profits are maximised.This is
what every entity or person in a free market wants to do - maximise
profit.It is not some elaborate scheme to provoke people.It is not
some personal vendetta aimed at the Government.Lastly, I ask you
what problem does Sigi Eimbeck have? Someone who realises that the
deeper causes for criminality and violence in this country are the
un-addressed needs of people surely doesn't have a problem.To think
such thoughts when your wife has just been murdered requires
character and integrity.Between you two, who has the
problem?Siegfried Herholdt
Via e-mail