Sorris Sorris petitions environment committee

Disgruntled members of the Sorris Sorris community at Khorixas presented a petition to parliamentary standing committee on natural resources chairperson Toubie Aupindi at the Parliament Gardens in Windhoek on Thursday afternoon.

In the petition, that was read by Gwyneth //Garoes, the delegation criticises Doro !Nawas and Uibasen conservancies and tourism company Ultimate Safaris for instituting High Court proceedings to oppose the reopening of Goantagab mine in the Sorris Sorris conservancy.

The court case was heard on Wednesday and a ruling on the matter is expected on Friday afternoon.

The petitioners says they are dismayed that the three applicants, who have no legal standing in the affairs of Sorris Sorris, were using the country’s court system to perpetuate a cycle of poverty in their area.

“We are convinced that Ultimate Safaris and the Doro !Nawas and Uibasen conservancies have no legal standing in the affairs of the Dâure Daman Traditional authority, where the mines are situated,”//Garoes said.

She said there are about 200 unemployed young people in their community who need jobs at the Goantagab mine but they are being denied by the court application by people who do not have the plight of the marginalised people in the community at heart.

“In fact by opposing the opening of the mine, situated in a predominantly mining area, and refusing to co-exist, these people are perpetuating an unending cycle of poverty in our area.

“Although the tourist operators are bringing in foreign income, it has no tangible benefits for the locals in terms of employment and infrastructure development. In fact, we have evidence that tourist operators import 90% of their employees from other areas,” she said.

“We would like the authorities to ensure that the needs of the community are not neglected for the sake of big money corporations and that mining and tourism should co-exist in the area,” she said.

Accepting the petition, Aupindi, who was flanked by former environment minister Pohamba Shifeta, said while the matter is subjudice because it is in court, the committee does not condone the suffering of the people.

He said mining and tourism ventures should exists especially in the Erongo and Kunene regions where they already co-exist.

“Sorris Sorris is a conservancy on its own with its own mandate and can make its own decisions,” he said.

– matthew@namibian.com.na

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