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Africa: Subsaharan
Namibia: Land Expropriation to Be Calm
2004-04-22
WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) - Brushing off fears of Zimbabwe-style farm invasions, President Sam Nujoma assured Namibians on Wednesday that a land expropriation program would be conducted in a legal and orderly manner.
"We'll say it's legal, and they'll stay calm -- or else!"
Most of Namibia's productive farmland is owned by whites who make up less than 5 percent of the country's 1.8 million people. The government is in the process of identifying a number of white-owned commercial farms for redistribution to landless blacks.

The plan, combined with union threats to invade some farms, has raised fears of the kind of violent land seizures that have plunged neighboring Zimbabwe into political and economic turmoil.
Now why would anyone think of Bob-land?
But Nujoma insisted the owners of expropriated farms would be compensated and the country's constitution respected. "Any concerns about land reform should be laid to rest," he said Wednesday in his last state of the nation address.
"Trust me!"
Nujoma's close relationship with Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has stoked fears in Namibia that land expropriation might be equally violent and unjust. Nujoma has stood by Mugabe as Zimbabwe has grown increasingly isolated over the government's violent suppression of the opposition. Nujoma, who has led Namibia since independence from South Africa in 1990, plans to retire next year after presidential elections this coming November.
Yeah, s-u-u-u-ure he does.
Posted by:Steve White

#4  lots of countries have instituted land reform over the years, including Taiwan. Land reform in Taiwan did not lead to totalitarianism, it did not even lead to socialism.

Of course there are smart and not so smart ways to do land reform. and of course compensation is necessary so that property owners in general can have security (Im quite sure thats how it was done in Taiwan) It may also help to have a relatively homogenous society (like Taiwan) and a relatively low degree of corruption (which IIUC was true in Taiwan by the '50s, despite the KMT corruption on the mainland). Not sure ANY african country can pull it off.
Posted by: Liberalhawk   2004-04-22 10:26:11 AM  

#3  Yet another African leader drunk on Marxist ideology. Namibia will wake up from this nightmare but not anytime soon and not before the inevitable mass murders Marxists are famous for committing take place
Posted by: badanov   2004-04-22 8:18:45 AM  

#2  There is a lesson from history for whites in Namibia and Zimbabwe - GET OUT...GET OUT NOW!!

Scrape together every penny you can get and get out!! This is going to get far worse before it gets better. Cut your losses and RUN!

When I was young, I use to watch those NAZI movies and wonder several things. One was...why didn't the Jews leave. At some point, when they were wearing stars and their neighbors disappeared, why didn't they just GO??? As I got older, I realized it's not that easy to drop your job, life, home, etc. and that optimism was most likely the culprit.

But there comes a time when you have to face the reality of a situation as it exists. Unless your plan is to stay and fight, possibly to the death....GO!!!! At least send your families away.
Posted by: B   2004-04-22 8:14:35 AM  

#1  The steps from capitalism to totalitarianism

Step one - ruin local agriculture
Step two - convince international investors that all property is at risk of confiscation
Step three - apply for free food
Step four - gain control of food distribution
etc.
Posted by: Super Hose   2004-04-22 2:24:28 AM  

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