Latest news with #OvaHerero
Russia Today
4 days ago
- General
- Russia Today
Namibian descendant calls for justice over colonial-era genocide
A descendant of Namibia's OvaHerero and Nama peoples, Thrive Vinomaandero Mahua, has called for greater accountability and reparations from Germany over its colonial-era atrocities in Namibia. The OvaHerero and Nama genocide, carried out by the German Empire in present-day Namibia between 1904 and 1908, was the first genocide of the 20th century. It targeted the two groups through a campaign of ethnic extermination and collective punishment in what was then German South West Africa. Speaking to RT, Mahua recounted the personal toll the genocide had taken and expressed frustration over the prolonged delay in reaching a just resolution. She said the events tore families apart, and it was only after Namibia's independence that many displaced individuals were able to reconnect with their relatives. Although Berlin officially recognized the genocide of the OvaHerero and Nama peoples in 2021, more than a century after the atrocities, negotiations over reparations have remained deadlocked. The transition to a new German government, she added, has only introduced further uncertainty about whether these talks will resume. Mahua noted that a proposed €1.1 billion aid package was rejected by traditional leaders from both affected communities, who argued that the funds should be allocated directly to survivors and their descendants, rather than to national development projects. Mahua stated that no monetary figure could ever truly compensate for the suffering inflicted. 'What is the price for a life?' she asked. She further argued that the Namibian genocide deserves the same level of recognition and accountability as the Holocaust, pointing out that many practices later associated with the Nazis, such as concentration camps, had earlier precedents in her country during the German colonial occupation. According to Mahua, it is inconsistent for Berlin to take full responsibility for one atrocity while treating another with markedly less seriousness. 'As the descendants of those that have been affected, we should not allow them to forget days such as the Genocide Remembrance Day,' Mahua stressed. She emphasized the need for continuous public engagement, remembrance days, and open discussion. 'We need to make it uncomfortable,' she said, urging activists to keep speaking out until there is a meaningful response.
Russia Today
5 days ago
- General
- Russia Today
African state remembers first genocide of 20th century
Namibia will never forget the brutal massacre of thousands of its people by German soldiers during colonial rule, the Southern African country's president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has declared. President Nandi-Ndaitwah made the remarks in an emotional speech on Wednesday, the country's first Genocide Remembrance Day. German colonial forces massacred an estimated 100,000 OvaHerero and Nama people between 1904 and 1908 in what was then known as German South West Africa. Launched in response to a series of uprisings against German rule, the killings are recognized by the UN as the first genocide of the 20th century. '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,' Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the commemoration event held at Parliament Gardens in Windhoek, the capital. She said while Namibia is now free and focused on building the nation, it 'shall never forget the emotional, psychological, economic, and cultural scars' left by the colonial-era atrocities. In 2021, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier apologized for the colonial-era crime and pledged €1.1 billion ($1.2 billion) in development aid to Namibia. This offer, however, fell short of the reparations demanded by leaders of the affected communities. President Nandi-Ndaitwah noted that while Berlin's response may not fully satisfy the demands for justice, its formal admission of having perpetrated the genocide is a meaningful and necessary step forward. 'We may not agree on the final quantum, but that is part of the complex negotiations we have been engaged in with the German Government since 2013. We must remain committed that as a nation, we shall soldier until the ultimate conclusion is reached,' she said. In a statement released ahead of the Windhoek event, Berlin described the 'crimes of German colonial rule' as the 'darkest chapter' in German–Namibian relations. 'The German government acknowledges Germany's moral and political responsibility and emphasizes the importance of reconciliation,' it stated on Wednesday.
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Namibia honours victims of colonial genocide as reparation calls grow
Namibia honoured the victims of mass killings during German colonial rule with an inaugural memorial day on Wednesday, as politicians and affected communities voiced fresh calls for reparations from Berlin. German soldiers killed some 65,000 OvaHerero and 10,000 Nama people in 1904-1908 in what historians and the UN have long called the first genocide of the 20th century. In 2021 Germany officially described the massacre as a genocide for the first time, agreeing to fund development projects worth €1.1bn (R22.24bn) in the Southern African country, but stopping short of paying reparations. Namibian officials and representatives of the OvaHerero and Nama people say that is not enough. "We should find a degree of comfort in the fact that the German government has agreed that German troops committed a genocide," Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah told a solemn memorial event in the parliament gardens. "We may not agree on the final quantum, but that is part of the complex negotiations we have been engaged in with the German government since 2013," she said. A spokesperson for the German embassy in Windhoek in response to an e-mail request for comment referred Reuters to a statement the German government published on the memorial day. "The federal government acknowledges Germany's moral and political responsibility [for the killings] and emphasises the importance of reconciliation," the statement said. Namibia's government chose to mark Genocide Remembrance Day on May 28 because it was on that date that German colonial authorities ordered the closure of concentration camps. Charles Kakomee Tjela, a descendant of genocide victims who attended the event in the parliament gardens, told Reuters the genocide should feature more prominently in school curricula. Hoze Riruako, an OvaHerero chief, said the colonial-era atrocities were a prelude to the Holocaust but "people are not aware of what has happened here to the same level". Some representatives of the OvaHerero community boycotted memorial proceedings because they think the agreement for Germany to fund development projects over 30 years does not address their grievances. Nandi-Ndaitwah said on Wednesday negotiations with Germany would continue and that any final agreement should be "satisfactory, particularly for the directly affected communities". McHenry Venaani, an opposition leader, agreed Germany's initial offer was insufficient. "We are demanding a fair deal," Venaani said. Reuters
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Namibia honours victims of colonial genocide as reparation calls grow
By Nyasha Nyaungwa WINDHOEK (Reuters) -Namibia honoured the victims of mass killings during German colonial rule with an inaugural memorial day on Wednesday, as politicians and affected communities voiced fresh calls for reparations from Berlin. German soldiers killed some 65,000 OvaHerero and 10,000 Nama people in 1904-1908 in what historians and the United Nations have long called the first genocide of the 20th century. In 2021 Germany officially described the massacre as a genocide for the first time, agreeing to fund development projects worth 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) in the Southern African country, but stopping short of paying reparations. Namibian officials and representatives of the OvaHerero and Nama people say that is not enough. "We should find a degree of comfort in the fact that the German government has agreed that German troops committed a genocide," Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah told a solemn memorial event in the parliament gardens. "We may not agree on the final quantum, but that is part of the complex negotiations we have been engaged in with the German government since 2013," she said. A spokesperson for the German embassy in Windhoek in response to an email request for comment referred Reuters to a statement the German government published on the memorial day. "The federal government acknowledges Germany's moral and political responsibility (for the killings) and emphasises the importance of reconciliation," the statement said. Namibia's government chose to mark Genocide Remembrance Day on May 28 because it was on that date that German colonial authorities ordered the closure of concentration camps. Charles Kakomee Tjela, a descendant of genocide victims who attended the event in the parliament gardens, told Reuters the genocide should feature more prominently in school curricula. Hoze Riruako, an OvaHerero chief, said the colonial-era atrocities were a prelude to the Holocaust but "people are not aware of what has happened here to the same level". Some representatives of the OvaHerero community boycotted memorial proceedings because they think the agreement for Germany to fund development projects over 30 years does not address their grievances. Nandi-Ndaitwah said on Wednesday negotiations with Germany would continue and that any final agreement should be "satisfactory, particularly for the directly affected communities". McHenry Venaani, an opposition leader, agreed Germany's initial offer was insufficient. "We are demanding a fair deal," Venaani said. ($1 = 0.8838 euros)
DW
5 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
