Steinmeier’s ill-conceived, intended genocide apology

“I hope I will be able to return to this country very soon and under different circumstances because I am convinced that it is high time to tender an apology to the Namibian people”: President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, 24 February 2024.The genocide perpetrated by Germany on the Ovaherero and Nama communities 120 years ago left indelible scars that cannot be erased, healed or remedied, with German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier proclaiming his acknowledgement at the memorial service of late president Hage Geingob, that the atrocities Germany committed then were indeed a genocide.It may, however, be a step in the right direction, notwithstanding the fact that he (Steinmeier) and “his late colleague, partner and friend,” to whom he is attributing the start of the process, have downplayed the “elephant in the room”: the descendants of the Ovaherero and Namas, to whom the Vernichtungsbefehl (extermination orders) were directed.Twenty years ago, in 2004, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, the German federal minister of economic cooperation and development, issued an apology to the Ovaherero at Ohamakari. The German government later retracted her apology.SWANU does appreciate that this time around someone with a higher portfolio has at long last acknowledged that Germany committed genocide against the Ovaherero and Nama communities and is willing to tender an apology. The question is: is he doing this on his own behalf, like Frau Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, or is he doing it on behalf of the whole Federal Republic of Germany?Isn’t it the case that an instruction from the latter usually emanates from the Bundestag for the whole world to see? SWANU totally rejects the implementation of the purported bilateral agreement between the Namibian and German governments in the form of a joint declaration in which the loss of the affected communities, or, to put it correctly, ‘the first genocide of the 20th century&#039;, has been valued at 1.1 billion euros over 30 years.This is very condescending and an abomination to the two aggrieved nation-communities: the Ovahereros and Namas. SWANU views the exclusion of the affected communities, both in Namibia and in the Diaspora, from the genocide talks as a denial of their ability to speak for themselves and their right to articulate their trauma and experiences.This only reflects how disrespectful and insensitive the two governments are towards the two aggrieved communities and how shallowly they regard the issue at stake. SWANU also regards the 1.1 billion euros and the acceptance by the Namibian government for that to be distributed over thirty years as a development fund to the affected communities as utter nonsensical peanuts, which is not commensurate with the demands of the aggrieved communities.In the same vein, SWANU advises Germany that if it seeks a harmonious relationship with Namibia, it should not stoop so low as to undermine our actuarial competencies and decide for us what we deserve.Rights of victimsGermany’s rejection of an interdict by South Africa against the genocide inflicted on the Arabs in Gaza, is undeterred by their unpleasant history of the first genocide of the 20th century and and the inhumane, insensitive and provocative claims expressed by beneficiaries about genocidal land disposition.Genocide remains genocide, and in the case of Namibia, the signs of the genocide are overwhelming and evident. In relation to international human rights law, the restoration, either in full or in part, of the rights of victims of genocide must be within the international framework.If the question of the Ovaherero/Nama Genocide is anything to go by, the said UN procedure must be strictly adhered to. We therefore implore the German president to follow such procedures in relation to rights and remedies.It is in view of this that SWANU cautions president Steinmeier to first clean his house by calling on the German descendants in Namibia to behave in a manner that does not infringe on the humanity of the indigenous Namibians by avoiding inhumane and bloody land and other property reclamation. Genocide is genocide!Ngaijake Sam Tjikuzu is the secretary general of SWANU.

Steinmeier’s ill-conceived, intended genocide apology

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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Steinmeier’s ill-conceived, intended genocide apology

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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