Page 11 - CITATION-2 (Honorary Doctorate)(Justus GAROEB)

Gaob Justus |Uruhe //Garoëb
NAMCOL Annual Report 2019/2020

He left Walvis Bay with the conviction to make a difference for his people, he
decided to meet Gaob Dawid Goreseb in Okombahe to seek clarity about
certain political matters that affected the Damara leadership and community.
The main objective of his visit was to gain clarity regarding the allegations that Honoris Causa
Gaob Goreseb was collaborating with the apartheid regime, whilst he knew
that Goreseb was a staunch petitioner to the United Nations through Klemens
Kapuuo, who was at the time a student at a South African university.

He wanted first-hand information on the Goreseb’s stance regarding the political
landscape of the time. Also, to put rumours to rest that Goreseb sold the Uis
mine, and that he was responsible for the shooting, and forced removal of the
people from Old Location to Katutura in 1959.

In response, Goreseb posed a question to him: “Does a real African Gaob live
in isolation?” ǁGaroëb interpreted this to mean, ‘a Goab would not betray his
people’, and this planted in him a seed of service to the Damara community.
Goreseb’s response brought relief to Garoëb, realising that the accusations
were merely political and colonial propaganda that were intended to tarnish
the position of the leader and weaken the strong Damara Council activities.
Through the conversation with Gariseb, it came to light that the forced removal
of Damara people from Augeikhas (Daan Viljoen area) or ǂKhari-!Âs (Klein
Windhoek) was also a colonial ploy, to disposes the Damara community of their
land.

The visit and conversations with the Gaob Goreseb, ignited ǁGaroëb’s political
activism and began to serve as a scribe for Goreseb, who was determined to
support Klemens Kapuuo by petitioning the United Nations. This role gave him
impetus as a young-educated Damara youth to play a significant role for his
community and country.
Under ǁGaroëb’s leadership in 1973, Damara Raad secretly met with SWAPO at
Onverwag (ǂGoadi llhoas), the village of Chief Abraham Gariseb for a possible
alliance and later they met regularly at the Council of Churches in Namibia,
(CCN) Building in Windhoek. The Damara Raad was one of few entities inside
Namibia that openly mobilized support for SWAPO.

Through his political consciousness and desire for national liberation, ǁGaroëb

Spring Graduation 2022 | 11