Latest news with #Nandi-Ndaitwah
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Namibia marks inaugural Genocide Remembrance Day with call for reparations
Namibia has held its first Genocide Remembrance Day to commemorate tens of thousands of Herero and Nama people killed by German colonisers in the early 1900s, in what is widely considered the first genocide of the 20th century. The southern African country's president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, speaking at the event Wednesday, called again for reparations for the at least 70,000 Indigenous people killed by German troops from 1904 to 1908. Germany, which colonised Namibia from 1884 to 1915, previously acknowledged the genocide in 2021, but talks on reparations stretching back to 2013 have been fruitless. 'We should find a degree of comfort in the fact that the German government has agreed that the German troops committed a genocide against the … people of our land,' Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the ceremony held in the gardens of Namibia's parliament. 'We must remain committed that as a nation, we shall soldier on until the ultimate conclusion is reached,' she said. For its part, Germany released a statement earlier this week, reiterating that it 'acknowledges Germany's moral and political responsibility [for the killings] and emphasises the importance of reconciliation'.Berlin has previously pledged more than one billion euros ($1bn) in development aid over 30 years to benefit the descendants of the two targeted tribes, while stressing the funding should not be seen as payment of reparations. No agreement has been signed and Herero and Nama descendants have said they were excluded from the talks. At Wednesday's commemoration, candles were lit in honour of the victims and a minute of silence was followed by songs and speeches. The memorial was attended by about 1,000 people, including the German ambassador to Namibia. The Herero tribe revolted against German colonisers in January 1904, with the smaller Nama tribe joining the next year. The crackdown by German troops sent tens of thousands of people fleeing towards neighbouring Botswana. Then, in October 1904, German General Lothar von Trotha, under the command of German leader Kaiser Wilhelm II, signed a notorious 'extermination order' against the Herero. 'Within the German boundaries, every Herero, with or without a gun, with or without livestock, will be shot dead,' the order said. Between 1904 and 1908, at least 60,000 Herero and 10,000 Nama people were killed, many at German-run concentration camps, although some estimates put the death toll higher. Hundreds of Herero and Nama were also beheaded after being killed, with their skulls brought back to Germany for 'scientific' experiments meant to prove racial 2008, Namibian officials have demanded the bones be returned. Germany has complied, with ceremonial transfers in 2011 and 2018. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Israel Kaunatjike, a Herero activist who spearheaded the initiative 'No Amnesty on Genocide', called it a 'scandal' that no official memorial of the genocide has been held since Namibia gained independence from South Africa's control in 1990. 'It is very, very important for us today to celebrate, to remember those who lost their lives,' said Kaunatjike, who noted May 28 marked the day in 1908 the concentration camps were closed in then-German South West Africa. Kaunatjike added that any agreement that did not include reparations, and the return of Herero and Nama land still owned by descendants of German settlers, would be inadequate.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Namibia urges reparations at first German genocide memorial
Namibia holds its first genocide remembrance day to mark mass killings by colonial ruler Germany (AP) WINDHOEK: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah repeated calls Wednesday for Germany to pay reparations for its genocide against Namibian tribes as she led the first official commemoration of the atrocity more than 120 years ago. Thousands of indigenous Herero and Nama people were massacred by colonial-era German troops between 1904 and 1908 after they rebelled against their rule in what is regarded as the first genocide of the 20th century. "We should find a degree of comfort in the fact that the German government has agreed that the German troops committed a genocide against the... people of our land," Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the ceremony held in the gardens of parliament. Berlin has offered an apology but there is still no agreement on reparations in talks that began with the German government in 2013, she said. "We must remain committed that as a nation, we shall soldier on until the ultimate conclusion is reached," she said. Germany has pledged more than one billion euros ($1 billion) in development aid over 30 years to benefit the descendants of the two tribes, stressing this could not be considered as payment of reparations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Artrose? Esta joelheira biônica pode ajudar a renovar seu joelho LegFix Undo Namibia has rejected the offer. The commemoration was attended by around 1,000 people including the German ambassador, Thorsten Hutter. Candles were lit in honour of the victims and a minute of silence was followed by song and speeches. "It is a stark reminder of the pain and suffering that was inflicted by German imperial troops during the colonial era," Hutter said. "I believe that it is important to understand that we cannot change the past, but as the people who are living today, it is our responsibility to remember those atrocities that were committed," he said. After lengthy and sometimes acrimonious negotiations, Germany in 2021 recognised the killings by its settlers constituted a genocide. An estimated 60,000 Herero and 10,000 Nama people were killed. Some were beheaded and their skulls handed to researchers in Berlin for since-discredited "scientific" experiments framed to prove the racial superiority of whites over blacks. Germany returned the skulls and other human remains to Namibia in 2011 and 2018. May 28 was chosen for the annual Genocide Remembrance Day commemoration as it was the day in 1907 when German authorities ordered the closure of concentration camps following international criticism over the brutal conditions and high death rates. It has been declared a public holiday in Namibia, a sparsely populated and largely desert nation of nearly three million people.
DW
3 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Namibia marks first Genocide Remembrance Day – DW – 05/28/2025
The inaugural commemoration event for genocide victims under colonial German rule has been held. Namibia's president said more needed to be done to reach an agreement on reparations. Namibia held a national day of commemoration on Wednesday for the victims of what is often referred to as "Germany's forgotten genocide." The programme included a candlelight vigil and a speech by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, along with a minute's silence in memory of the victims — the Herero and Nama peoples. "Many people from the two communities were forced into concentration camps where they were starved to death and their skulls were taken to Germany for so-called scientific research," she said. "These horrendous acts are now part of our collective history of resistance and resilience." Namibia has remembered the victims of genocide under German colonial rule Image: Charmaine Ngatjiheue/dpa/picture alliance Still no agreement on reparations says Namibia's president Namibia's president used the occasion to press for greater reparations than what Berlin has offered. "We should find a degree of comfort in the fact that the German government has agreed that the German troops committed a genocide against the... people of our land," Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the ceremony held in the gardens of parliament. While Berlin has offered an apology, there is still no agreement on reparations in talks that began with the German government in 2013, she said. "We must remain committed that as a nation, we shall soldier on until the ultimate conclusion is reached," Nandi-Ndaitwah said. Germany's director for Sub-Saharan Africa said in a post on social media that the countries were moving together towards reconciliation. "The Federal Government acknowledges Germany's moral and political responsibility. Together with Namibia, we are pursuing the path of reconciliation," Christoph Retzlaff, Africa Director of the Federal Foreign Office said in a post on X. May 28 has 'deep historical significance' The Namibian government said that May 28 held "deep historical significance" as it was the day in 1907 when German colonial authorities ordered the closure of concentration camps. "This event brought an end to the systematic and brutal killings, forced displacement, starvation and immense suffering endured by the OvaHerero and Nama peoples," it was stated in the official program. "During this tragic chapter in Namibia's history, tens of thousands of men, women and children were brutally killed." It was the first time Namibia officially commemorated the Herero and Nama murdered by German colonial forces between 1904 and 1908. The 20th century's first genocide in Namibia To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The 1904-1908 genocide While figures remain contested, according to conservative estimates, around 65,000 of 80,000 Herero people and at least 10,000 out of 20,000 Nama people were killed under German rule. Up to 100,000 people are said to have died at the hands of German forces with the period of history now widely accepted as the 20th century's first genocide. Germany formally recognized the crimes committed by colonial forces as genocide in 2021, following years of negotiations and offered Namibia €1.1 billion over 30 years, but the governments have yet to arrive at a final agreement. Local media reported that the day has not come without controversy with newspaper Windhoek Observer reporting on Tuesday that only two of the 13 speakers came from the Herero and Nama communities. Daily publication The Namibian reported that President Nandi-Ndaitwah urged Namibians to avoid division on the day of commemoration as some rejected it as something initiated by government. "I urge Namibians at large to avoid anything that would bring division among ourselves," The Namibian quoted the president as saying adding that the president had also said government had tried to include all parties. Edited by: Zac Crellin
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Namibia urges reparations at first German genocide memorial
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah repeated calls Wednesday for Germany to pay reparations for its genocide against Namibian tribes as she led the first official commemoration of the atrocity more than 120 years ago. Thousands of indigenous Herero and Nama people were massacred by colonial-era German troops between 1904 and 1908 after they rebelled against their rule in what is regarded as the first genocide of the 20th century. "We should find a degree of comfort in the fact that the German government has agreed that the German troops committed a genocide against the... people of our land," Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the ceremony held in the gardens of parliament. Berlin has offered an apology but there is still no agreement on reparations in talks that began with the German government in 2013, she said. "We must remain committed that as a nation, we shall soldier on until the ultimate conclusion is reached," she said. Germany has pledged more than one billion euros ($1 billion) in development aid over 30 years to benefit the descendants of the two tribes, stressing this could not be considered as payment of reparations. Namibia has rejected the offer. The commemoration was attended by around 1,000 people including the German ambassador, Thorsten Hutter. Candles were lit in honour of the victims and a minute of silence was followed by song and speeches. "It is a stark reminder of the pain and suffering that was inflicted by German imperial troops during the colonial era," Hutter said. "I believe that it is important to understand that we cannot change the past, but as the people who are living today, it is our responsibility to remember those atrocities that were committed," he said. After lengthy and sometimes acrimonious negotiations, Germany in 2021 recognised the killings by its settlers constituted a genocide. An estimated 60,000 Herero and 10,000 Nama people were killed. Some were beheaded and their skulls handed to researchers in Berlin for since-discredited "scientific" experiments framed to prove the racial superiority of whites over blacks. Germany returned the skulls and other human remains to Namibia in 2011 and 2018. May 28 was chosen for the annual Genocide Remembrance Day commemoration as it was the day in 1907 when German authorities ordered the closure of concentration camps following international criticism over the brutal conditions and high death rates. It has been declared a public holiday in Namibia, a sparsely populated and largely desert nation of nearly three million people. str-ho/br/phz
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The South African
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The South African
Namibia to offer free tertiary education [video]
Watch the full version of the ' Namibian president announces free tertiary education from 2026' article – in a minute. The president of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, announced that university students will no longer be required to pay school fees from 2026. She made the announcement during her maiden state of the nation address on Thursday, 24 April 2025. According to The Star , Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia's first female president, said students will no longer pay tuition or registration fees at all public universities and technical colleges. She said, ' We have heard your cries: 'the Fees have Fallen. I am pleased to announce that from the next academic year, commencing 2026, tertiary education will become 100% subsidised by the government.' For the latest political news, bookmark The South African website's dedicated section for free-to-read content Nandi-Ndaitwah said that in the meantime, the only contribution required from families and students for now will be towards accommodation and other related costs. She said, 'If we are going to add, we are not going to add a significant amount of funds.' The country already offers free primary and high school education. However, families still cover costs of uniforms, books, and hostel fees. Looking for quick updates? Watch News in a Minute videos on The South African's YouTube page for all the key stories you need to know! Catch all the latest videos on news, lifestyle, travel, sports and more – there's always something to watch! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky to stay connected and get your news on the go!
