REPORT OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION’S WORKING GROUP ON INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS/COMMUNITIES MISSION TO THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA 26 July – 5 August 2005 The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights adopted this report at its 38th Ordinary Session, 21 November – 5 December 2005 2008 AFRICAN COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL ON HUMAN AND WORK GROUP FOR PEOPLES’ RIGHTS INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS REPORT OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION’S WORKING GROUP ON INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS/COMMUNITIES: MISSION TO THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA, 26 JULy – 5 AUGUST 2005 © Copyright: ACHPR and IWGIA Typesetting: Uldahl Graphix, Copenhagen, Denmark Prepress and Print: Litotryk, Copenhagen, Denmark ISBN: 9788791563324 Distribution in North America: Transaction Publishers 390 Campus Drive / Somerset, New Jersey 08873 www.transactionpub.com African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Kairaba Avenue - P.O.Box 673, Banjul, The Gambia Tel: +220 4377 721/4377 723 - Fax: +220 4390 764 [email protected] - www.achpr.org International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs Classensgade 11 E, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark Tel: +45 35 27 05 00 - Fax: +45 35 27 05 07 [email protected] - www.iwgia.org This report has been produced with financial support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS ...............................................................................................................................................7 - 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................ 9 PREFACE .......................................................................................................................................................................... 10 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 13 MAP OF NAMIBIA .............................................................................................................................................. 27 PART I 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................28 2. PREPARATION OF THE MISSION ..............................................................................................................29 3. TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE MISSION .........................................................................................30 4. BRIEF HISTORY OF NAMIBIA ......................................................................................................................31 5. NAMIBIA’s IndePENDENCE ......................................................................................................................32 6. GEOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................................................32 7. POPULATION ........................................................................................................................................................33 8. ETHNIC COMPOSITION ..............................................................................................................................34 9. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS .......................................................................................................................34 10. LANGUAGE AND RELIGION ......................................................................................................................34 11. INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS .......................................................................34 12. PREVIOUS MISSIONS TO THE COUNTRY ..........................................................................................35 PART II 13. INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS IN NAMIBIA: A BRIEF PROFILE OF THE SAN AND THE HIMBA INDIGENOUS GROUPS ....................36 14. THE SAN COMMUNITIES ............................................................................................................................37 15. THE HIMBA ............................................................................................................................................................40 PART III 16. INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MET DURING THE MISSION .......................................43 17. COURTESY CALL TO THE UNDER-SECRETARY TO CABINET ..................................................44 18. MEETING WITH THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE ...................................................................................47 19. MEETING WITH THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ..........................................50 20. MEETING WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION........................................................................52 21. MEETING WITH THE MINISTRY OF LANDS, RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION .....................................................................................................................................56 22. MEETING WITH WINDHOEK-BASED NGOS ................................................................................62 23. MEETING WITH THE LAW SOCIETY OF NAMIBIA .....................................................................64 24. MEETING WITH THE OMBUDSMAN OF NAMIBIA ...................................................................67 25. MEETING WITH THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE .....................................................................68 26. MEETING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIa – HUMAN RIGHTS AND DOCUMENTATION CENTER ................................................................70 PART IV 27. MEETING WITH SAN COMMUNITIES ................................................................................................73 28. MEETING WITH RESIDENTS OF MASAMBO VILLAGE ..............................................................73 29. MEETING WITH RESIDENTS OF OMEGA III VILLAGE ..................................................................79 30. MEETING WITH RESIDENTS OF MUSHANSHANI VILLAGE ....................................................83 31. MEETING WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF THE NYAE NYAE CONSERVANCY...........87 32. MEETING WITH RESIDENTS OF ROUTS POS VILLAGE ...............................................................92 33. MEETING WITH THE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT OF N‡a Jaqna CONSERVANCY ..........................................................................................................93 34. MEETING WITH RESIDENTS OF MKATA VILLAGE ..........................................................................96 35. MEETING WITH WIMSA GOBABIS BRANCH ................................................................................98 36. MEETING WITH RESIDENTS OF SKOONHEID FARM ............................................................. 101 37. MEETING WITH THE HONOURABLE MP ROYAL /UI/O/OO .......................................... 104 PART V 38. THE DELEGATIon’s FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS .......................................................... 108 39. RECOGNITION ............................................................................................................................................... 109 40. LAND AND RESOURCE RIGHTS OF THE SAN ............................................................................. 109 41. STEREOTYPING AND DISCRIMINATION ......................................................................................... 115 42. POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT ....................................................................................................... 116 43. CULTURE AND MODERNISATION ....................................................................................................... 117 44. NUTRITION AND HEALTHCARE .......................................................................................................... 118 45. THE SAN AND EDUCATION .................................................................................................................. 119 46. SAN TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES......................................................................................................... 123 47. POLITICAL REPRESENTATION ................................................................................................................... 127 PART VI 48. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................... 128 49. EDUCATION...................................................................................................................................................... 129 50. TRAINING ........................................................................................................................................................... 130 51. LAND RIGHTS ................................................................................................................................................... 130 52. TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION........................................... 130 53. HEALTH ................................................................................................................................................................. 131 54. EMPLOYMENT ................................................................................................................................................. 131 55. HUNGER ............................................................................................................................................................. 131 56.