Standoff at Shamvura Camp in Kavango

THE SHAMVURA Camp in the Kavango Region has strongly dismissed allegations levelled against its manager, Mark Paxton, by some community members that he is a suspect in a murder investigation, acts above the law and shows a lack respect for traditional authorities.

On September16, a group of people in the Shamvura area about 120 km east of Rundu marched from the Teacher Resource Centre at Shinyungwe to the gate of the Camp. In a petition, the demonstrators said they considered Paxton a suspect in the recent death of Christof Weka, whom they alleged was killed at the river at Shamvura village.They accused him of refusing locals access to the river and removing people’s fishing nets and boats from the river, even on the Angolan side.They demanded that Paxton should be tried by the local traditional authority, claiming that he also lived illegally on communal land and should therefore leave the area.A statement issued by Shamvura Camp strongly refuted these allegations.”There is no evidence to support their claim that he is the alleged suspect in the killing of Christof Weka, in fact he had assisted the Police with their investigation and we have strong evidence (including photographs and witnesses) to support this,” Paxton’s wife Charlie said in the statement.She said they believed that the attack on Paxton was linked to his discovery of an abandoned firearm licensed to a regional councillor in the Kavango.While out on the river on August 15, Paxton came across an abandoned shotgun on a nearby sand bank and contacted the Police, his wife said.Police investigations later found that the firearm was licensed to a regional councillor, who had apparently given permission to his nephew, Christoph Weka, to use it.Weka’s body was later found near a place called Korokoko.Apparently an autopsy cited drowning as the cause of death, but there were rumours that he had been shot several times.The family sent the body to Windhoek for a second autopsy, which apparently revealed that Weka had been beaten with a pole.On allegations that Paxton was refusing people access to the river, the statement said: “By agreement with the community they should respect the small river frontage of less than 300m (on an enormous area of flood-plain) directly in front of the camp.This is only a matter of politeness and extends to recreational fisherman and motor boats as well.”This was a common courtesy asked for by most lodges with river frontage, the statement said.”Mark does not collect people’s nets in the area,” said the statement.”He only contacts the Ministry of Fisheries and offers his services with boat to them on request, when he comes across illegal fishing activities, such drag-netting and people netting with illegal nets.”If there is any aggressive interaction with local people, it involves illegal fishermen, which is the case even when the Ministry of Fisheries is operating with Fisheries Inspector and Police escort, from Mark’s boat and confiscating illegal nets and charging illegal fishermen,” it said.On the allegation that Paxton was causing conflict and disturbance of people on the river, Paxton said their boats spent a lot of time with regional and international guests on the river and these groups often interacted with local people and fishermen because it was of interest to the guests.This, said the statement, was always friendly with guests often taking photographs, giving gifts and sometimes buying fish.They said Shamvura Camp has a legal and binding permission to occupy, signed by the late Hompa Sebastian Kamwanga and the then Land and Farming Committee, with an additional document issued by Ministry of Lands and Resettlement.”Our payment to MLR is made every year and receipted by them,” it said.On an allegation that Paxton lacks respect for traditional authorities, the statement said he has very little to do with traditional authorities and, therefore, could not be accused of being disrespectful.In a petition, the demonstrators said they considered Paxton a suspect in the recent death of Christof Weka, whom they alleged was killed at the river at Shamvura village.They accused him of refusing locals access to the river and removing people’s fishing nets and boats from the river, even on the Angolan side.They demanded that Paxton should be tried by the local traditional authority, claiming that he also lived illegally on communal land and should therefore leave the area.A statement issued by Shamvura Camp strongly refuted these allegations.”There is no evidence to support their claim that he is the alleged suspect in the killing of Christof Weka, in fact he had assisted the Police with their investigation and we have strong evidence (including photographs and witnesses) to support this,” Paxton’s wife Charlie said in the statement.She said they believed that the attack on Paxton was linked to his discovery of an abandoned firearm licensed to a regional councillor in the Kavango.While out on the river on August 15, Paxton came across an abandoned shotgun on a nearby sand bank and contacted the Police, his wife said.Police investigations later found that the firearm was licensed to a regional councillor, who had apparently given permission to his nephew, Christoph Weka, to use it.Weka’s body was later found near a place called Korokoko.Apparently an autopsy cited drowning as the cause of death, but there were rumours that he had been shot several times.The family sent the body to Windhoek for a second autopsy, which apparently revealed that Weka had been beaten with a pole.On allegations that Paxton was refusing people access to the river, the statement said: “By agreement with the community they should respect the small river frontage of less than 300m (on an enormous area of flood-plain) directly in front of the camp.This is only a matter of politeness and extends to recreational fisherman and motor boats as well.”This was a common courtesy asked for by most lodges with river frontage, the statement said.”Mark does not collect people’s nets in the area,” said the statement.”He only contacts the Ministry of Fisheries and offers his services with boat to them on request, when he comes across illegal fishing activities, such drag-netting and people netting with illegal nets.”If there is any aggressive interaction with local people, it involves illegal fishermen, which is the case even when the Ministry of Fisheries is operating with Fisheries Inspector and Police escort, from Mark’s boat and confiscating illegal nets and charging illegal fishermen,” it said.On the allegation that Paxton was causing conflict and disturbance of people on the river, Paxton said their boats spent a lot of time with regional and international guests on the river and these groups often interacted with local people and fishermen because it was of interest to the guests.This, said the statement, was always friendly with guests often taking photographs, giving gifts and sometimes buying fish.They said Shamvura Camp has a legal and binding permission to occupy, signed by the late Hompa Sebastian Kamwanga and the then Land and Farming Committee, with an additional document issued by Ministry of Lands and Resettlement.”Our payment to MLR is made every year and receipted by them,” it said. On an allegation that Paxton lacks respect for traditional authorities, the statement said he has very little to do with traditional authorities and, therefore, could not be accused of being disrespectful.