Farmers worried about ‘secret’ plan

RUMOURS of the construction of a ammunition factory or warehouse in the Oamites area, and Government’s failure to address community members about the matter, have left residents of the small Arovlei resettlement farm worried about what this development may mean for their future.

The Arovlei community, which is made up mainly of pensioners resettled there from their previous home at !Oa//gaexas near Daan Viljoen more than a decade ago, say they first noticed the activities of a Chinese construction company in their area in 2006. The community apparently immediately informed the Arovlei Farmers’ Association (AFA) – the body officially representing them – in the hope of getting some clarity, but say they have heard nothing from Government.Speaking to The Namibian this week, Jacqueline Stuurman, who heads the AFA Development Committee, said the construction company first started fencing off pieces of land in their area before later starting to excavate and build.All this happened without any information being passed on to the people living there.”They’re even getting into our camps now, taking measurements,” Stuurman said.According to unofficial reports heard by various community members, the site being built in their midst is rumoured to be either an ammunition factory or a mining site, and the farmers say they are getting worried.”We learnt that the mining operations or the factory may use explosives that may pose a danger to us as farmers.We’ve also observed and learnt that NDF officers at Oamites are being relocated to different stations, probably due to the dangers this factory may pose,” reads a letter sent by the community to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands in March.This letter also received no response.”Our humble questions are, who in Government is responsible for these types of developments? Is the construction really a (factory) that involves explosives that may cause a danger to human beings? And if so, what plans do you have for or with us, would we also be relocated? How, when, and where to? “What would happen to our few assets? Why are we not considered or consulted on development in these projects? Don’t we have a say on the land we are officially entitled to?” the letter further reads.Attempts this week to get answers from the Lands Ministry and Khomas Regional Governor Sofia Shaningwa proved futile.Shaningwa feigned ignorance of the community’s dilemma, saying that she first heard of it when The Namibian contacted her on Wednesday.On July 2, the Governor was invited in writing to attend a community meeting on July 20 to discuss the matter.The spokesperson for the Lands Ministry, Crispin Matongela, yesterday said that he could not divulge information on what was happening at Arovlei until that meeting was held.”That will be a meeting between the Ministry staff, the Governor and the community’s representatives.Maybe after that one can give a better response,” he said, adding that the Ministry of Defence would also have to be involved in that meeting.The community apparently immediately informed the Arovlei Farmers’ Association (AFA) – the body officially representing them – in the hope of getting some clarity, but say they have heard nothing from Government.Speaking to The Namibian this week, Jacqueline Stuurman, who heads the AFA Development Committee, said the construction company first started fencing off pieces of land in their area before later starting to excavate and build.All this happened without any information being passed on to the people living there.”They’re even getting into our camps now, taking measurements,” Stuurman said.According to unofficial reports heard by various community members, the site being built in their midst is rumoured to be either an ammunition factory or a mining site, and the farmers say they are getting worried.”We learnt that the mining operations or the factory may use explosives that may pose a danger to us as farmers.We’ve also observed and learnt that NDF officers at Oamites are being relocated to different stations, probably due to the dangers this factory may pose,” reads a letter sent by the community to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands in March.This letter also received no response.”Our humble questions are, who in Government is responsible for these types of developments? Is the construction really a (factory) that involves explosives that may cause a danger to human beings? And if so, what plans do you have for or with us, would we also be relocated? How, when, and where to? “What would happen to our few assets? Why are we not considered or consulted on development in these projects? Don’t we have a say on the land we are officially entitled to?” the letter further reads.Attempts this week to get answers from the Lands Ministry and Khomas Regional Governor Sofia Shaningwa proved futile.Shaningwa feigned ignorance of the community’s dilemma, saying that she first heard of it when The Namibian contacted her on Wednesday.On July 2, the Governor was invited in writing to attend a community meeting on July 20 to discuss the matter.The spokesperson for the Lands Ministry, Crispin Matongela, yesterday said that he could not divulge information on what was happening at Arovlei until that meeting was held.”That will be a meeting between the Ministry staff, the Governor and the community’s representatives.Maybe after that one can give a better response,” he said, adding that the Ministry of Defence would also have to be involved in that meeting.