DNA For Mass Grave Victims

THE discussion about mass graves in the north of the country has made me think.Whether Swapo was wrong or whether the South African Army was wrong – fact is all the men and women in those graves were killed during the liberation struggle.

If it was not for them, we black Namibians would still be denied taking part in our society. Fact is: that almost every family, be it black or white, lost a loved one in the struggle.I therefore suggest that we stop arguing about rights and wrongs and instead start thinking about what are we going to do with the bodies of people who were once family members, mothers, fathers, uncles.Every family wants to bury their loved ones according to their beliefs and in the place they originate from.But now we don’t know who the people in the graves are.I suggest that all families who are still missing relatives from the struggle come forward to give DNA samples.At the same time, our Government could organise funds with the assistance of our development partners to pay for those tests.At the end of the day, we would be able to know to which family the remains belong and everybody would have the chance to bury their relatives where they deserve to be buried.We would all have a chance to grieve and shed our traumas and it would give some kind of healing in the absence of a truth commission.I believe that a truth commission is necessary in the name of reconciliation.Every psychologist can explain the fact that once you are traumatised and you don’t deal with your hurt and fears, the pictures will haunt you and have a negative impact on your wellbeing.In the same way, our nation is affected by thousands of mothers who cry every day, fathers who lost hope of ever seeing their sons and daughters again.If we as a nation don’t deal with our pain, if we don’t allow ourselves to grieve over the loved ones, we will never be able to see and enjoy the fruits of this new colourful nation.Natascha Scheidt WindhoekFact is: that almost every family, be it black or white, lost a loved one in the struggle.I therefore suggest that we stop arguing about rights and wrongs and instead start thinking about what are we going to do with the bodies of people who were once family members, mothers, fathers, uncles.Every family wants to bury their loved ones according to their beliefs and in the place they originate from.But now we don’t know who the people in the graves are.I suggest that all families who are still missing relatives from the struggle come forward to give DNA samples.At the same time, our Government could organise funds with the assistance of our development partners to pay for those tests.At the end of the day, we would be able to know to which family the remains belong and everybody would have the chance to bury their relatives where they deserve to be buried.We would all have a chance to grieve and shed our traumas and it would give some kind of healing in the absence of a truth commission.I believe that a truth commission is necessary in the name of reconciliation.Every psychologist can explain the fact that once you are traumatised and you don’t deal with your hurt and fears, the pictures will haunt you and have a negative impact on your wellbeing.In the same way, our nation is affected by thousands of mothers who cry every day, fathers who lost hope of ever seeing their sons and daughters again.If we as a nation don’t deal with our pain, if we don’t allow ourselves to grieve over the loved ones, we will never be able to see and enjoy the fruits of this new colourful nation.Natascha Scheidt Windhoek