No progress on Bondelswarts land claim

TALKS between the Roman Catholic Church and the Bondelswarts clan in the South ended yesterday without finding a solution to the clan’s land claim.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, both parties expressed their commitment to continuing their discussions and cooperation. It was decided that each party will appoint members to serve on a committee that will continue the deliberations and prepare future meetings.The dialogue was set in motion following claims by the Bondelswarts during their annual festival in December that their forefathers were duped out of 180 000 hectares of land by a certain Charles Eduard William Wheeler.Wheeler sold the land to the Roman Catholic Church.The church was represented by Father Kluas Lettner in his capacity as administrator of the diocese, five priests and Deacon Willem Konjore, who is also the Minister of Environment and Tourism.Josef Christiaan, adviser to Bondelswarts Kaptein Anna Christiaan, accompanied by the clan’s deputy chief, Rudold Stephanus, and nine other traditional leaders represented the Bondelswarts.It was decided that each party will appoint members to serve on a committee that will continue the deliberations and prepare future meetings.The dialogue was set in motion following claims by the Bondelswarts during their annual festival in December that their forefathers were duped out of 180 000 hectares of land by a certain Charles Eduard William Wheeler.Wheeler sold the land to the Roman Catholic Church.The church was represented by Father Kluas Lettner in his capacity as administrator of the diocese, five priests and Deacon Willem Konjore, who is also the Minister of Environment and Tourism.Josef Christiaan, adviser to Bondelswarts Kaptein Anna Christiaan, accompanied by the clan’s deputy chief, Rudold Stephanus, and nine other traditional leaders represented the Bondelswarts.