2 more mass graves found in the North

TWO more mass graves have been found near Ondangwa, the regional Police commander said yesterday.

Deputy Commissioner Armas Shivute said one grave was found at Epuku village, 30 km northeast of Ondangwa, and the other at Ongha village, near an old military base 25 kilometres north of Ondangwa. The latest finds brought to five the number of mass graves uncovered in the North in recent weeks.The first was found by construction workers expanding the sewerage dams near the old army base at Eenhana on Wednesday, November 9.Two more graves were found only metres apart over the next two days.Deputy Commissioner Shivute told The Namibian that villagers from Epuku informed the Governor of Ohangwena, Usko Nghaamwa, that they had buried Plan combatants near the village during the 1980s.An Epuku villager, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Namibian that there was a battle between Plan and the South African Defence Force in the area.He said the South Africans removed their own casualties, and told the villagers to bury the Plan dead.”We organised ourselves and buried the seven Swapo Plan fighters killed in that battle,” the villager said.Deputy Commissioner Shivute said six skeletons, presumed to be the remains of Plan fighters, were unearthed at Ongha over the weekend.”We are still going to find more (graves) because Governor Nghaamwa has told us that there are many people who came and are still coming to him, giving information about more mass graves,” Shivute said.”We are also continuing with the search at Eenhana and hope to find more mass graves there,” Shivute said.He said investigators of the Forensic Unit, led by Dr Paul Ludik, were present at Epuku and Ongha when the latest 13 skeletons were dug up.Shivute said all the skeletons found so far were sent to Windhoek yesterday for forensic examination.Meanwhile, the South African news agency Sapa reports that the United Nations says it has not been asked by either the Namibian or South African governments to investigate.The latest finds brought to five the number of mass graves uncovered in the North in recent weeks.The first was found by construction workers expanding the sewerage dams near the old army base at Eenhana on Wednesday, November 9.Two more graves were found only metres apart over the next two days.Deputy Commissioner Shivute told The Namibian that villagers from Epuku informed the Governor of Ohangwena, Usko Nghaamwa, that they had buried Plan combatants near the village during the 1980s.An Epuku villager, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Namibian that there was a battle between Plan and the South African Defence Force in the area.He said the South Africans removed their own casualties, and told the villagers to bury the Plan dead.”We organised ourselves and buried the seven Swapo Plan fighters killed in that battle,” the villager said.Deputy Commissioner Shivute said six skeletons, presumed to be the remains of Plan fighters, were unearthed at Ongha over the weekend.”We are still going to find more (graves) because Governor Nghaamwa has told us that there are many people who came and are still coming to him, giving information about more mass graves,” Shivute said.”We are also continuing with the search at Eenhana and hope to find more mass graves there,” Shivute said.He said investigators of the Forensic Unit, led by Dr Paul Ludik, were present at Epuku and Ongha when the latest 13 skeletons were dug up.Shivute said all the skeletons found so far were sent to Windhoek yesterday for forensic examination.Meanwhile, the South African news agency Sapa reports that the United Nations says it has not been asked by either the Namibian or South African governments to investigate.