“This land is my land!”
Motions and emotions around land reform in Namibia
Why is land reform such an explosive, emotional issue? What is ‘land hunger' all about? And is it true that black and white farmers have a fundamentally different attitude towards land?
Much has been written about land reform in Namibia over the past 18 years and numerous scientific and journalistic publications have provided a vast array of perspectives on land and land reform in this country and southern Africa. However, one fundamental aspect has never received the attention it deserves, namely the ‘human' or ‘emotional' side of land reform. Although often mentioned as key factor for understanding the explosive nature of the land issue, and although sometimes seen as even decisively driving the land reform process, literature has so far not systematically dealt with the emotions and perceptions of both the landless and the owners of land.
The present publication by Erika von Wietersheim is closing this essential gap in the current research. By listening to the views and experiences of black and white land owners, of the landless and the ‘land hungry', of farm workers, government officials and agricultural experts, Erika von Wietersheim took a look at land reform from the inside – at its human face. Through this approach, the book provides the reader with exciting new insights and a number of surprising correlations and connections. At the same time it is also offering an overview of the current land reform process in Namibia.
The author, Erika von Wietersheim is a freelance journalist, author and international correspondent. As an educational consultant she has been involved in numerous national and international projects promoting social development and inter-cultural understanding. Her interest in the land question also derives from her own experiences as a farmer in Namibia for more than 20 years.
“THIS LAND IS MY LAND!” is 260 pages long. It includes a selection of shortened interviews which provide direct insight into the dialogues and discussions that were conducted. It also contains a number of photos of interviewed people and their environment.
Published by the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation, Namibia Office, October 2008