Reparations: Elderly want cash grants ‘like Swapo veterans’
German money to come as hedging finance, grants
Some elders within the Nama and Ovaherero communities, who are in the evening of their lives, said they want cash in their pockets while they are alive.
Some elderly descendants of Ovaherero-Nama genocide victims have suggested that some of the reparation money from Germany be paid directly into their pockets, like a pension grant, because they are too old to get jobs or scholarships.
This information is contained in documents filed in the High Court, detailing what went on behind closed doors during the negotiations regarding reparations for the genocide committed by Germany.
Some senior officials and community representatives discussed the possibility of a pension grant for the elderly during a consultative meeting in August 2021. Among those in attendance were then vice-president Nangolo Mbumba, former international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, justice minister Yvonne Dausab and members of the genocide technical committee.
Minutes from the meeting, now part of a court dossier, reveal that some senior individuals requested that a portion of the compensation be delivered through a pension grant. “The analogy was that if I plant an orange tree, it would probably take five years before it can bear fruit,” it read.
“People wanted to know whether there is a possibility that something like the payment for Swapo war veterans is worked into this system. This is for older people. Say I am 75 years old, I cannot benefit through a scholarship or job opportunity”.
It continued: “The call from many of the elderly is that the money should be given to them in cash. If you are looking at the joint declaration, you will see it says the decision for cash payments would have to come from the community members”.
“The traditional chiefs will decide what will be done. There is still a lot of work to be done pertaining to frameworks,” the minutes further read.
Counter-offer
The documents indicated that Germany's reparations will come in the form of hedging finance, grants and loans instead of direct cash.
In its counter-offer to Germany after the communities rejected a N$21 billion reparations offer, Namibia besieged the German government to “consolidate the grant financing with the hedging facility to be provided under the loan” in order to increase the amount for a reconstruction, remembrance and reconciliation programme.
Namibia also informed Germany that it would request for “further grant funding to fund the remaining interventions highlighted in the controversial joint declaration submitted by Germany to Namibia”. These interventions include land restitution, agriculture and energy creation.
A report presented in 2017 by the technical committee on their deliberations and awareness campaigns also suggested that their engagements with the communities were poor, with only 80 people attending a community meeting at Okakarara. The Otjinene meeting had a poor turnout too, as did the one at Eiseb 1.
The report revealed that there were no outreach meetings in the Hardap and //Karas regions, because the Epukiro Pos 3 gathering was well attended, while meetings at Aminuis and Talismanus were postponed.
The technical committee highlighted that some venues did not have sound systems, while the delegations complained about having to rely on tinned food because they could not find decent restaurants in some areas.
‘Unlawful, inconsistent’
These discussions are contained in court documents filed by National Assembly secretary Lydia Kandetu in a case brought against the government by lawmaker Bernadus Swartbooi of the Landless People's Movement (LPM), and 11 traditional authorities from the Nama and Ovaherero communities.
Swartbooi contends that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi, acted unlawfully by noting the joint declaration in parliament without meaningful debate.
He seeks to have the agreement set aside for not being ratified in accordance with parliamentary rules and for being inconsistent with the Namibian Constitution and a 2006 house motion on genocide.
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This information is contained in documents filed in the High Court, detailing what went on behind closed doors during the negotiations regarding reparations for the genocide committed by Germany.
Some senior officials and community representatives discussed the possibility of a pension grant for the elderly during a consultative meeting in August 2021. Among those in attendance were then vice-president Nangolo Mbumba, former international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, justice minister Yvonne Dausab and members of the genocide technical committee.
Minutes from the meeting, now part of a court dossier, reveal that some senior individuals requested that a portion of the compensation be delivered through a pension grant. “The analogy was that if I plant an orange tree, it would probably take five years before it can bear fruit,” it read.
“People wanted to know whether there is a possibility that something like the payment for Swapo war veterans is worked into this system. This is for older people. Say I am 75 years old, I cannot benefit through a scholarship or job opportunity”.
It continued: “The call from many of the elderly is that the money should be given to them in cash. If you are looking at the joint declaration, you will see it says the decision for cash payments would have to come from the community members”.
“The traditional chiefs will decide what will be done. There is still a lot of work to be done pertaining to frameworks,” the minutes further read.
Counter-offer
The documents indicated that Germany's reparations will come in the form of hedging finance, grants and loans instead of direct cash.
In its counter-offer to Germany after the communities rejected a N$21 billion reparations offer, Namibia besieged the German government to “consolidate the grant financing with the hedging facility to be provided under the loan” in order to increase the amount for a reconstruction, remembrance and reconciliation programme.
Namibia also informed Germany that it would request for “further grant funding to fund the remaining interventions highlighted in the controversial joint declaration submitted by Germany to Namibia”. These interventions include land restitution, agriculture and energy creation.
A report presented in 2017 by the technical committee on their deliberations and awareness campaigns also suggested that their engagements with the communities were poor, with only 80 people attending a community meeting at Okakarara. The Otjinene meeting had a poor turnout too, as did the one at Eiseb 1.
The report revealed that there were no outreach meetings in the Hardap and //Karas regions, because the Epukiro Pos 3 gathering was well attended, while meetings at Aminuis and Talismanus were postponed.
The technical committee highlighted that some venues did not have sound systems, while the delegations complained about having to rely on tinned food because they could not find decent restaurants in some areas.
‘Unlawful, inconsistent’
These discussions are contained in court documents filed by National Assembly secretary Lydia Kandetu in a case brought against the government by lawmaker Bernadus Swartbooi of the Landless People's Movement (LPM), and 11 traditional authorities from the Nama and Ovaherero communities.
Swartbooi contends that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi, acted unlawfully by noting the joint declaration in parliament without meaningful debate.
He seeks to have the agreement set aside for not being ratified in accordance with parliamentary rules and for being inconsistent with the Namibian Constitution and a 2006 house motion on genocide.
[email protected]
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