Another mass grave found near Okatope

THE Police at Oshakati report that another mass grave has been found near the Okatope Police base, 45 kilometres east of Ondangwa in the Oshikoto Region.

Deputy Commissioner Josef Anghuwo told The Namibian yesterday afternoon that a person who knew about the mass grave had informed the Police about it. “When we unearthed it, we discovered that five bodies were buried in it,” Anghuwo said.

The latest find brings to 19 the total number of graves found in the North in recent weeks.

Five graves have been found at Eenhana, one at Ongha and one at Epuku in the Ohangwena Region, while 11 graves were found in the Omusati Region last week.

The graves have been particularly linked to April 1 1989, the implementation date of United Nations Resolution 435, which laid out the route for Namibia’s independence.

On that day, fighting broke out between Swapo fighters and South African forces in the North.

In the ensuing ‘nine-day war’ hundreds of Swapo fighters were killed.

Many of them are believed to have been buried in mass graves.

Deputy Commissioner Anghuwo told The Namibian yesterday that a team of forensic experts from South Africa had arrived at Oshakati on Wednesday to help with the investigations.

The Commander of Police in Ohangwena, Deputy Commissioner Armas Shivute, said yesterday that the Police have received information about another possible grave near the former Okakwa military base.

“We still have to investigate, get people to dig at that place to see whether there are skeletons,” Shivute said.

“When we unearthed it, we discovered that five bodies were buried in it,” Anghuwo said.The latest find brings to 19 the total number of graves found in the North in recent weeks.Five graves have been found at Eenhana, one at Ongha and one at Epuku in the Ohangwena Region, while 11 graves were found in the Omusati Region last week.The graves have been particularly linked to April 1 1989, the implementation date of United Nations Resolution 435, which laid out the route for Namibia’s independence.On that day, fighting broke out between Swapo fighters and South African forces in the North.In the ensuing ‘nine-day war’ hundreds of Swapo fighters were killed.Many of them are believed to have been buried in mass graves.Deputy Commissioner Anghuwo told The Namibian yesterday that a team of forensic experts from South Africa had arrived at Oshakati on Wednesday to help with the investigations.The Commander of Police in Ohangwena, Deputy Commissioner Armas Shivute, said yesterday that the Police have received information about another possible grave near the former Okakwa military base.”We still have to investigate, get people to dig at that place to see whether there are skeletons,” Shivute said.

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