To the President of the Republic of RSA Your excellency, President Zuma: The Khoi and San leadership in RSA: All the invited Guests. Fellow South Africans. Let me greed you in the name of the Most High our Father in heaven and extend a warm welcome to all off you in the Land of the Khoi and San. But first let me reflect on the year 1994: When i stood in those long winding queues and put My cross on the ballot paper, what was my feelings in my heart? I am sure it was not a feeling of hatred, I am sure it was not a feeling of anger sweeping the nation. I am sure it was a feeling of freedom, of hope, of a society that knew its problems, but also knew that a new dawn has come and those problems will be challenged,but today Im a second class citizen in the country of my birth In the land of the ancient warriors of the Khoi and San clans. I have also knew that a new dawn has come and those problems will be challenged and the nation, of black, white, coloured, Indian and Khoi and San people will work together to face those challenges and overcome them. As a great grand child of those fearless warriors who took up arms [bows arrows and kieries) against the Portuguese, colonialist, boer settlers follow by the south african military oppresors and aparthate regime it is still hard today for the Khoi and San people. The episodes following the colonial white and black invasion marked worse time in the history of our Khoi and San communities. However it was at the head of these times that our Khoi and San communities has produce warriors whose names and characters are expressed and carried on from generation to generation name but just a few Autshamo, Krotoa, Doman, Hendrik Witbooi, Dawid Stuurman, Gogosa,Dawid Kruiper and the man who lead the last tribal war in Khoi San history Commandant Abram Morris the outstanding Khoi warrior who fought against the germans and the regime of Jan Smuts. Mr President our people the Khoi and San took up arms against all the forces who had only one thing in mind and that was to subject the indigenous Khoi and San peoples to make them subordinates slaves of the white man and if it needs to be we will do it again. It is notable that the Khoi and San people paved the way by resisting the onslaugt of the white mens domination advancing from all over in the Western Cape and Northern Cape. This was all in pursuit of our freedom!! We therefore understand and appreciate the price paid by this Khoi and San for the freedom that we enjoy today!!{Emphasize} Your Excellency, while you arrived at Cape town to open the parlement you are observing many places that is the physical testimony of the hardship that our people endure , It was in this very so called Cape Town that our people where jailed,The old prison at the castle where our Khoi and San people was chained, isolation and humiliation in the most brutal ways, and then murdered. Mr President it is right here and it is a vivid reminder of the trying times. Robin Island is were many of our Khoi and San leaders are buried in unmarked graves and therefore we need to erect a memorial Stone on Robin island in memory of our Ancestors who died there. The old buildings must be given to the Khoi and San people, we want to retain these old buildings as heritage objects to present them as visible evidence of the colonial and aparthate times. Your Excellency , Mr President, I would fail in my duty if I do not mention our request and demanding for recognising the Khoi and San as the first people of our land. We want full ownership of our land and want our land back as Khoi and San people. As is evidenced by historical objects visible all over this land we as the Khoi and San people have a historic tie with the Land, mountains, rivers and sea. We can revive the economy in many Khoi and San communities but first we have to unlock the eco tourism potential of the areas by introducing tourist products with propagate cultural tourism and outdoor adventure activities. Mr President for this to happen we shall need access to the objects of our Khoi and San history like the graves on so called private land and old trails that our forefathers used when they were traversing the land. Currently we are trying to put your attention to our needs and also we apply local legislation and some international conventions and declarations in terms of indigenous peoples rights. But some off the office bearers do not know and are not helpful in this regard. So we want a Department who can work on the issues and rights of the Khoi and San indigenous people. Your Exellency , as much as we appreciate the efforts of the government we realize that in a democracy only those that are demanding vicariously and articulating their needs are given,pretty much to the vigour of their demands. Thus,the Khoi and San is on the brim. We want to adapt and change the course for a better livelihood for our Khoi and San people and the future. May I conclude by reiterating our gratefulness for you to acknowledge in your opening address the Khoi and San as the First Indigenous people of this land and restore all our rights. People become restless for this ongoing ignorance from our government and that is not a good sign for our democrocy. I Thank you. Gangans Goab Paul Swartbooi
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 12:17:10 +0000
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