Archaeological research uncovers evidence of Namibia's forgotten genocide
via The Namibian5 min read
Between 1904 and 1908, tens of thousands of Ovaherero and Nama people were killed under German colonial rule in what is recognized as one of the 20th century's first genocides. Despite its scale, the material and human legacy of this event remains less understood than later atrocities. Historical accounts are often incomplete or shaped by colonial perspectives. The landscapes of Namibia that bear witness to this violence are threatened by urban expansion, infrastructure development, and environmental changes. Archaeological research is crucial for documenting and protecting this heritage. The Centre of Archaeology at the University of Huddersfield, in collaboration with community representatives, Forensic Architecture, Forensis, and the Swakopmund Genocide Museum, has conducted fieldwork in Namibia. Their work focuses on sites linked to German colonial concentration camps at Swakopmund and Lüderitz. Using forensic methods, the project aims to locate, document, and protect burial sites associated with the genocide, demonstrating how archaeology can confirm historical events, provide physical evidence, support commemoration, and strengthen claims for reparations. The research combines archival study with field methods such as GIS mapping, walkover surveys, ground penetrating radar, GPS surveys, drone imagery, and targeted excavation. Crucially, it involves close collaboration with Ovaherero and Nama communities, whose priorities have shaped the research and discussions around s
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Canadian investment firm Oregen Energy has appointed Phil Birch, a geoscientist credited with the discovery of TotalEnergies’ offshore Namibia Venus prospect, as its strategic adviser. Oregen Energy recently acquired a stake in Petrovena’s license for oil block 2712A in the Orange Basin. Birch, who retired from Impact Oil and Gas last year, expressed enthusiasm for joining Oregen, stating his interest in assisting whoever licensed the block. His involvement in Namibian exploration began in the early 2010s with Black Star Petroleum, a company he owned. Black Star Petroleum aimed to explore along the west coast of Africa and eventually partnered with Knowledge Katti, who held the license for the block. Due to a lack of funds for a full exploration campaign, Black Star was acquired by Impact Oil and Gas. Birch estimated that drilling the prospect would cost at least US$100 million. Despite initial rejections from major oil companies, Impact Oil and Gas eventually convinced TotalEnergies to farm in. In February 2022, TotalEnergies announced a significant discovery of light oil on the block. Birch believes that oil and gas could be transformative for Namibia, emphasizing the importance of managing the resources fairly to benefit as many Namibians as possible and to build other industries.
More than 105,000 households across Namibia received rice assistance in May as part of ongoing government-led drought relief efforts. The World Food Programme WFP Namibia Country Brief for May reported that 105,813 households benefited from food assistance, with 2,326 metric tonnes of rice distributed nationwide. Women accounted for 53% of beneficiaries, and men 47%. These distributions are part of efforts implemented through the Office of the Prime Minister’s directorate of disaster risk management, targeting vulnerable households affected by climate-related shocks. The WFP noted that despite a decline in acute hunger levels due to drought recovery interventions, multiple economic and climate-related shocks continue to put pressure on vulnerable communities, keeping food assistance needs elevated. However, Namibia's overall food security situation has improved, supported by better rainfall, government interventions, and humanitarian assistance. An estimated 456,000 people were in need of assistance from July to September 2025, down from 1.15 million in the previous assessment period. Rice distributions, funded by the Republic of Korea, are expected to continue until December, with 4,896 metric tonnes of rice allocated to support 384,935 households across all 14 regions. By the end of May, 58,148 bags of rice, each weighing 40 kilograms, had been distributed, representing approximately 48% of the total consignment. Challenges in implementation include rising fuel costs and li
The Business and Intellectual Property Authority Bipa has initiated its 2026 penalty waiver campaign, running from June to August, to assist non-compliant businesses in updating their records and regaining good standing. This initiative aims to encourage businesses to regularize their status by waiving annual duty penalties for all outstanding years up to and including 2025. Bipa previously conducted a similar campaign last year, which pardoned over 28,000 businesses from fines totaling N$219 million. The authority stated that this campaign is part of its efforts to enhance compliance, improve the ease of doing business, and foster a more responsive regulatory environment. Bipa recognizes that many businesses have faced operational and economic challenges, impacting their ability to remain compliant. The waiver serves as both a relief measure and an opportunity for businesses to take corrective action, avoiding future penalties or administrative complications arising from non-compliance.
Despite two decades of Vision 2030 promising prosperity and inclusive growth, Namibia faces significant challenges in translating policy into measurable outcomes. The country's public debt has surged, exceeding 60% of GDP, with debt servicing consuming a large portion of annual revenue. Economic growth has been volatile, failing to reduce high unemployment, especially among youth. The article argues that Namibia's primary issue is an execution problem, stemming from a lack of a national productivity system. This absence leads to fiscal risks from declining value for money in public expenditure, execution risks where policy announcements are not met by frontline delivery, institutional risks due to overreliance on individuals rather than durable systems, and reform fatigue from repeated initiatives without cumulative gains. The author suggests that Namibia needs to treat productivity as its national operating system, standardizing processes, allocating resources efficiently, and enabling real-time performance monitoring. A national productivity policy, potentially anchored by a National Productivity Organisation/Council, would establish benchmarks, link budgeting to output efficiency, and build internal capability for continuous improvement across government ministries, state-owned enterprises, local authorities, and the private sector. The article concludes that without institutionalized productivity, Vision 2030 will remain an aspiration rather than a lived reality.