Child dies in explosion

A 13-year-old Himba girl died near Opuwo in the Kunene Region on Sunday after she and a younger boy came across an explosive device.

The two had apparently been herding goats outside the village Oruseu, about 150 km northwest of Opuwo, when they came across the device in the bush. Uaakurua Ndiaombe died on the spot, while her cousin, Puvazamba Ndiaombe, sustained serious injuries.The boy was admitted to the Opuwo State Hospital, where his condition is said to be stable and improving.Six goats also died in the blast.the head of the Namibian Police’s Explosives Division, Chief Inspector JN Alweendo, reported yesterday.A seventh goat was severely injured.The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) yesterday issued a statement condemning the Police for an apparent lack of urgency with regard to removing landmines left over from the liberation struggle.The human rights organisation said it had warned the Police as far back as 2003 about landmines in the area where the girl was killed.”In light of this incident, we are now wondering whether or not our appeal was taken seriously.Hence, we once again entreat the Nampol Inspector General to immediately ensure the removal of all unexploded ordnance in the area and prevent further injuries to humans and damage to property at Oruseu and all the adjacent villages,” NSHR executive director Phil Ya Nangoloh said.He said Government should ensure that the Police had the necessary resources for landmine clearing.Neither Alweendo nor the head of the Police’s public relations unit, Chief Inspector Angula Amulungu, could recall having received a request from the NSHR to prioritise this area in its demining programme.This programme was currently in full swing across the country, Alweeno said.He added, however, that the area where the latest blast occurred had not previously been seen as a priority, because it was not inhabited.”It happened about 42 km into the bush,” he said.A Police team has been sent to that area to investigate whether there are other explosives.”We did not receive any request for clearing that area.But we do have in place plans to start clearing a 20-km stretch of road between Ratanga and Opuwo,” he told The Namibian.The NSHR said two other children had been killed by unexploded ordnances near Opuwo in recent years.In 2001, a nine-year-old boy died at Oukongo village about eight kilometres northwest of Opuwo.In 2003, another nine-year-old boy was killed when he picked up a hand grenade near the Alpha Combined School, some 16 km east of Opuwo.Uaakurua Ndiaombe died on the spot, while her cousin, Puvazamba Ndiaombe, sustained serious injuries.The boy was admitted to the Opuwo State Hospital, where his condition is said to be stable and improving. Six goats also died in the blast.the head of the Namibian Police’s Explosives Division, Chief Inspector JN Alweendo, reported yesterday.A seventh goat was severely injured.The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) yesterday issued a statement condemning the Police for an apparent lack of urgency with regard to removing landmines left over from the liberation struggle.The human rights organisation said it had warned the Police as far back as 2003 about landmines in the area where the girl was killed.”In light of this incident, we are now wondering whether or not our appeal was taken seriously.Hence, we once again entreat the Nampol Inspector General to immediately ensure the removal of all unexploded ordnance in the area and prevent further injuries to humans and damage to property at Oruseu and all the adjacent villages,” NSHR executive director Phil Ya Nangoloh said.He said Government should ensure that the Police had the necessary resources for landmine clearing.Neither Alweendo nor the head of the Police’s public relations unit, Chief Inspector Angula Amulungu, could recall having received a request from the NSHR to prioritise this area in its demining programme.This programme was currently in full swing across the country, Alweeno said.He added, however, that the area where the latest blast occurred had not previously been seen as a priority, because it was not inhabited.”It happened about 42 km into the bush,” he said.A Police team has been sent to that area to investigate whether there are other explosives.”We did not receive any request for clearing that area.But we do have in place plans to start clearing a 20-km stretch of road between Ratanga and Opuwo,” he told The Namibian.The NSHR said two other children had been killed by unexploded ordnances near Opuwo in recent years.In 2001, a nine-year-old boy died at Oukongo village about eight kilometres northwest of Opuwo.In 2003, another nine-year-old boy was killed when he picked up a hand grenade near the Alpha Combined School, some 16 km east of Opuwo.