The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-10
Statement Of Alleged
u MiStreatment of Natives

July 9.-In reply to some
- stofies of British mis-
=. n natives in German West
{a5h recently have been cir
Il ne German wireless, an
mt of the situation in
4 - been given to THE
PRESS. 1t declares
Y suT Terings have been
lrro ~ he natives of Ovambo.
4 ~ due, not to British mis-.
" y - ont to the neglect of the
- 6qyefnment prior to British
IT, ~ and gives some details Of
Il vca " restoration and recon
uC11pn Whieh the British undertook
soon - they came into posses
ne mast recent German wireless
nmunioue on this subject was is.
ID 81 nay so. and said in part:
Terribly critical conditions have
n created In German West Africa
lng to the occupation of that coun-
by the English, A missionary
ties to 3 South African mission
,ers: In the Avambo country the
rore OF war wer followed by even
,ater terrors of famine. Now and
n the country has been visited be-
BY similar Affections. but the
'rman government tok care to pre-
it suffering by helpful precautions
that the afflictions never reached
RENE severity. After the English
ne. these precautions were neg
ted md hunger was able to ravage
/ uhfortafnate country without
rcy. Thousands of natives have
ten victims to English neglect and
JSovsF1lent."
ne mcto Is established by reports
N to governor General of South
1So 1lluStrate the reckless false
"a TX The German official state
-nts. The British reply is as fol
u:
The territory of Ovamboland was
lp1ed Within the borders of the
rInnn frotectorate of Southwest
ica. ~ was always left severely
Ine " she German administration
B evoufe referred to in wireless re
e oe9u1Fed in 1915 and were direct
~ ~ the neglect of the German
otector1te to take precautions
inst famine.
Owing to a succession OF
,ughte, want began to make itself
/ Il oyanboland in 1913, and the
nine c,,tninated in total failure
the crOpa in the beginning of 1915,
Immediately after the surrender
the Oerman forces at Tsurmeb in
ly, 1915, the starving Ovambos
o hitherto had been shut in Ovam-
and ~ the German troops operat-
!; directly between them and the
jon forces, commenced to stream
ith ont Of Ovamboland in search
sucC0r which had been denied
I'm ~ the Germans. Over 1000
ambos reached our posts in north
/ districts and were Immediately
.ced a hospitals and depots and
erything possible done to nurse
I'M back to health and strength
Within two months of our occupa'
o Of the Protectorate, a large fleet
motor lorries had been organized
convey food to Ovamboland and
succor thse VIII had been unable
come south and relief measures
re IN full operation. Our officers
tribated barge quantities of food
M and relief parties were organ
d to assist struggling Ovambos on
! road. These measures were car
d ont IN the face of enormous diff.
ultes Of transport and in addi-
2 to 4e heavy task of feeding our
n people in the northern part of
! Protectorate under abnormal cir
nsfances.
~ eenpot be emphasized too
oag1I tat long prior to the Brit
ocqqpetion of Ovamboland fam
) And sisted there to an intense
- no4 can it be doubted for a
Ment eeat the German Protecto-
. ooy4F4meht is wholly to blame
IN qoDlect to assist the Ovambos
.lng ~ syears 1913 and 1914 and
- ~ months of 1915"