Request for Solidarity Statements - SARM Congress

SOUTH AFRICAN REPARATIONS MOVEMENT
P.O. Box 1256
Crownmines, Johannesburg 2025

Tel/Fax: 011-837-6716 Cell: 083-945-2481 Fax: 011-837-0969

PRESS RELEASE

First National Reparations Congress

Namibian, Zimbabwean, Khoi, San, Griqua and Korana Indigenous
Reparations Leaders Featured

JOHANNESBURG January 14, 2002 The South African Reparations Movement
(SARM) will be holding the First National Reparations Congress from 1-3
February 2002 at the 17 Shaft Conference Centre in Johannesburg.

South African national speakers include Professor Sipho Seepe, Thami
Ka Plaatjie and Nkosi Mzimela, Chair of the National House of
Traditional Leaders.

Regional Guest Speakers include Namibian Chief Kaima Riruako. Riruako
is in the forefront of the struggle for land claims against the German
colonialists in Namibia for the land dispossession of the Herero People.
Between 1904-1907, approximately 80% of the Herero people - or more than
70,000 men, women and children - were killed by German forces pursuant
to an �?oExtermination Order�?� issued by Germany, after the Herero
people resisted German colonial occupation of their land. The Herero
people have filed reparations claims in international courts, seeking
redress, including in Germany.

Zimbabwe will be represented by Chief Mangwende, the national
president of the Traditional Chiefs Council of Zimbabwae, as well as by
officials of the Zimbabwe Reparations Movement (ZIRM) which launched
last August in Harare. Keven Ellem Gozho, president of the National
Youth Convention, and an official of ZIRM, will speak on the experiences
of the youth in Zimbabwe in the struggle for reparations.

A chief of the Khoi San people, Uri Ma Gleis will address the Congress
on the plight of the Khoi, San and the Griqua and Korana people, and
their focus on land repossession.

About 500 delegates, largely from the rural landless communities and
youth formations will be in attendance. The theme of the Congress is:
Free the Mind, Free the Land, Free the People.

For further information, please contact:
Tshepo Mvuyana, National Coordinator
Cell phone: 083-945-2481