Germany keeps Namibia waiting

The Namibian government has not yet received a response from its German counterpart after a substantive document setting out the basis of the case on the 1904-1908 genocide and demand for apology and reparations was submitted in 2016.Namibia's special envoy on the matter Zed Ngavirue confirmed this to Nampa, saying he spent a lot of time working on the document.Namibia appointed Ngavirue in 2015 as a special envoy on the genocide reparation negotiations with Germany.“Our case rests on three pillars, namely acknowledgement of genocide, apology and reparation,” he said.Ngavirue noted that the document sent to Germany present facts based on research mostly conducted by researchers of German origin, and constitute documentary proof to validate such research.An example, Ngavirue said, is the infamous extermination order by erstwhile German General Lothar von Trotha, which was signed by the man himself.Von Trotha was the German military commander who ordered the extermination of Ovaherero and Nama more than 100 years ago.“There hasn't been any contestation on the facts that we put in that document so far,” he said, adding the issue, as they see it, rests on the just cause which the German government cannot run away from.The special envoy said the German government prefers not to call it reparation but “healing wounds”.Ngavirue said the document clearly demonstrates that it was not only loss of lives - which in itself is incalculable and can thus not be valued in monetary terms - but the affected communities that also lost land and suffered displacement.“The German negotiators are talking about healing wounds. We have an endeavour for them to come out and give us an idea of how much will be the quantum that will meet the needs of reconstruction of our society,” he stated.The Ovaherero/Ovambanderu-Nama Genocide Committee has been calling on the German government to recognise the crime of genocide by its predecessor authority; offer an apology and a commensurate compensation.The systematic extermination of more than 100 000 Ovaherero and Nama people by the German colonial troops is widely regarded as the first genocide of the 20th century.The Ovaherero and Nama were driven into the Namibian desert to die of starvation and dehydration, while the German forces intentionally poisoned many of the water holes.Other victims were sent to concentration camps, such as Shark Island near Lüderitz, where they died of disease and abuse. Many victims were beheaded and their skulls sent to Germany for scientific experiments and anthropological research.Some of the skulls were returned to Namibia in 2011. NAMPA

Germany keeps Namibia waiting

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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Germany keeps Namibia waiting

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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