By: Tjizouye Kazombungo
Ovaherero Traditional Authority says their positions on the Joint Declaration of the Namibian and German governments regarding genocide remains unchanged.
Chief Vipuira Kapuuo said this at the Swakopmund reparation walk on Saturday.
The first reparation walk in 2007 was officiated by the late Ovaherero paramount chief, Ombara Otjitambi Dr Kuaima Riruako, and the supreme chief of the Erongo region Ombara Christian Eerike Zeraeua.
The other faction, led by Paramount Chief Prof Mutjinde Katjiua, was not there and will have their own separate walk on 2 April.
Kapuuo further said that their position has not changed as they are guided by the letter and spirit of the 2006 resolution adopted unanimously in the National Assembly.
Kapuuo stated that the 2006 National Assembly Resolution prescribes a tripartite negotiation framework involving the representatives of the Ovaherero and Namas, the descendants of the victims of the genocide, as the third leg of the triangle.
He further said this would entail that the affected communities talk for themselves at the real negotiating table (not at toothless and obscure “technical committees”).
In contrast, the Namibian government will provide the requisite diplomatic cover in such a setup.
“Unfortunately, the recently concluded negotiations between the Namibian and German governments degenerated into the usual bilateral negotiations for development aid, premised on the 1989 and 2004 Bundestag resolutions.
According to Kapuuo, Germany must accept that it committed genocide instead of sugar-coating it as in paragraph 10 of the Joint Declaration by characterising genocide as an event that, from today’s perspective, would be called genocide.
Yet, ironically, he said, the same paragraph 10 quotes the 1948 UN Convention on Genocide that “recognises that genocide has inflicted great losses on humanity”.
When Germany accepted that it had indeed committed genocide, Kapuoo said, in the truest sense of the term, it must apologise appropriately to the Ovaherero, Ovambanderu and Nama people.
“The final component is reparations. Germany must pay reparations proportional to the total genocidal damage in monetary terms,” said Kapuuo.
He further said this requires the genocidal damage to be quantified comprehensively and accurately so that the sufficiency or otherwise of the reparation quantum can be assessed accurately.
According to Kapuoo, the €1.1 billion over 30 years currently offered by Germany is insultingly insignificant; and it does not demonstrate any remorse since the agreement states that the German offer is a complete and final settlement.
“This is clear evidence of negotiations in bad faith,” said Kapuuo.
Regarding the Swakopmund reparation walk day 2022, Kapuuo said that the place where they gathered is Exhibit A for the Genocide.
“The evidently Germans intended a “vernichtung” (destruction) of our people, as unambiguously spelt out in General Lother Von Trotha’sTrotha’s Vernichtung’sVernichtung’s Befehl (Extermination Order) issued on 02 October 1904 for the Ovaherero, and 25 April 1905 for the Nama.”
“We shall not grow weary! We shall never surrender! On this day, at this hour and this very minute, in front of these mortal remains of our ancestors, we resolve that we shall unwaveringly prosecute the struggle for restorative justice with unity of purpose and unity in action,” he added.
Spokesperson to chief Kapuuo, Uazuva Kaumbi, said since 2007, the reparation walk had been observed annually on or around 25 March.
“This year, the Swakopmund reparations walk day was a success and Ovaherero, Ovambanderu, and Namas came in numbers as per Covid-19 regulations,” said Kaumbi.
