Govt will not manage reparation money, Katjiua vows
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority’s (OTA) Professor Mutjinde Katjiua says government will not manage reparations for the 1904-1908 Nama and Ovaherero genocide.
He made the remarks in Kuruman, South Africa, during a visit to descendants of the genocide in that country.
“The reparations you are talking about will not be managed by the government of any country,” Katjiua said.
According to him, there have been attempts by individuals to mask the true intentions the genocide reparations would be handled with.
“In my leadership, we are facing a few challenges by people who are spreading misinformation because they don’t want the reparations to come to anyone outside the borders of Namibia,” he said.
Our suffering
Katjiua further challenged the Namibian government’s handling of the genocide, saying the process should primarily be run by the people directly affected by the atrocity, and not the state.
“I don’t think a process committed against the Hereros should be resolved by non-Hereros. It is our suffering; it is us who feel the pain; it is us who suffered these losses, damages and pain. It is us who should quantify, get a figure and demand the German government to pay reparations,” he said.
Germany has offered to fund projects worth 1.1 billion euros (N$18 billion) in seven regions over a 30-year period, as part of a genocide agreement.
These regions are Omaheke, //Karas, Hardap, Khomas, Otjozondjupa, Erongo and Kunene.
It affected us all
Swapo Party vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, during a rally held in Swakopmund, said the genocide affected all Namibians, irrespective of ethnicity.
“The Germans - who are our former colonisers - have committed genocide in this country and this issue was brought to Parliament by a member of the opposition and we had a good majority.
“We accepted to discuss it and pass a resolution because this is an issue of national interest. We all suffered [from] that genocide. By this time, we would be more than two or three million people. This matter is haunting us and is painful, regardless of where you are,” she said.
He made the remarks in Kuruman, South Africa, during a visit to descendants of the genocide in that country.
“The reparations you are talking about will not be managed by the government of any country,” Katjiua said.
According to him, there have been attempts by individuals to mask the true intentions the genocide reparations would be handled with.
“In my leadership, we are facing a few challenges by people who are spreading misinformation because they don’t want the reparations to come to anyone outside the borders of Namibia,” he said.
Our suffering
Katjiua further challenged the Namibian government’s handling of the genocide, saying the process should primarily be run by the people directly affected by the atrocity, and not the state.
“I don’t think a process committed against the Hereros should be resolved by non-Hereros. It is our suffering; it is us who feel the pain; it is us who suffered these losses, damages and pain. It is us who should quantify, get a figure and demand the German government to pay reparations,” he said.
Germany has offered to fund projects worth 1.1 billion euros (N$18 billion) in seven regions over a 30-year period, as part of a genocide agreement.
These regions are Omaheke, //Karas, Hardap, Khomas, Otjozondjupa, Erongo and Kunene.
It affected us all
Swapo Party vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, during a rally held in Swakopmund, said the genocide affected all Namibians, irrespective of ethnicity.
“The Germans - who are our former colonisers - have committed genocide in this country and this issue was brought to Parliament by a member of the opposition and we had a good majority.
“We accepted to discuss it and pass a resolution because this is an issue of national interest. We all suffered [from] that genocide. By this time, we would be more than two or three million people. This matter is haunting us and is painful, regardless of where you are,” she said.
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