[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
dam-l Himba statement
>>> THE EPUPA ACTION COMMITEE (Established 27.4.1997)
>>> P.O Box 3119
>>> Windhoek
>>> Namibia
>>> 5. november 1997
>>>
>>>
>>> His Excellency President Martti Ahtisaari
>>> Government of Finland
>>>
>>> Transmission by hand
>>>
>>>
>>> THE HIMBA AND HYDRO-ELECTRO POWER DAM SCHEME AT EPUPA
>>>
>>> Dear Sir
>>>
>>> The Government of Namibia has decided to build an Hydro-electro
>>> power dam at Epupa on the Kunene River. The area ef Epupa is
>>> inhabited by my people, the Ovahimba. My community have been
>>> opposing the the construction of this dam for many years. We are
>>> still against the said plans due to the following reasons:
>>>
>>> 1. our dead are buried at the site and it is against our tradi-
>>> tion to move the dead.
>>>
>>> 2. the area along the river provides us with the needed means
>>> for survival; food for people and livestock. The building of
>>> dam will inundate this resource.
>>>
>>> 3. the construction will lead to rapid migration out of the area
>>> which will eventually destroy our tradition and culture and
>>> erase us as people.
>>>
>>> As there is already a Hydro-electro power plant upstream at
>>> Ruacana, we approached our government to consider this option of
>>> repairing and upgrading the existing plant. No reaction came
>>> from our Ministry of Mines and Energy.
>>>
>>> The reluctance of the Namibian government to consider the Ruaca-
>>> na option made us to realise that there are further motives
>>> attached to their desire to construct the power scheme at Epupa,
>>> which are:
>>>
>>> a) Kaokoland is potentially rich in mineral resources like
>>> uranium, iron and other minerals.
>>>
>>> b) M”we Bay at the coast of Kaokoland has long bee envisaged as
>>> the landing port for European nuclear waste. The execution of
>>> such an action was stopped successfully by the European peace
>>> movements in 1974. However, there is a possibility that such
>>> plans are not abandoned at all.
>>>
>>> We are hereby convinced, that the erection of Epupa Hydro-elect-
>>> ric power scheme is merely an excuse by our government, to
>>> provide the infrastructure to carry out the exploitation of a)
>>> and b) above.
>>>
>>> We, as Himba, are not against development, but we do not like
>>> development to be forced on us.
>>>
>>> Your government is supporting Namibia in many ways. To maintain
>>> democracy in any state, the democratic units within this state
>>> must be balansed. If financially supporting the Namibian govern-
>>> ment results in empowering this government to oppress a part of
>>> its people, then consideration of empowering the other parties
>>> in a democratic entity must be strengthened in order to maintain
>>> the balance. A disturbance in this democratic balance might lead
>>> to desperation and a subsequent destruction of life and proper-
>>> ty.
>>>
>>> Therefore we would be grateful if you could help us in advising
>>> the Namibian government to consider other options of energy
>>> generation for its needs. Futhermore, we would appreciate any
>>> financial support you could extent us for our campaingning and
>>> lobbying activities in aupport of our course within Namibia.
>>>
>>> Therefore, this will be the last plea to your government and
>>> should serve as a witness that if there be a future destruction
>>> of life and property in Namibia emanating from our Namibian go-
>>> vernment, your government will be held responsible for such
>>> deeds.
>>>
>>> Thank you
>>>
>>>
>>> Yours sincerely
>>>
>>> Motjinduika Mutambo
>>> Chairman of the Epupa Action Committee
>>>
>>> Dr. Reinhard Zaire
>>> European representative of the Kaoko-Epupa Development Foundati-
>>> on
>>>
>>
>
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*