Two different committees with purportedly similar objectives are already co-ordinating different activities for the commemoration - a situation many fear could undermine preparations for the historic event.

A National Preparatory Committee for the Commemoration of 1904 (NPCC04), spearheaded by some church leaders, was set up early this month with aim of fostering reconciliation between the country's former warring communities.

But Herero-Mbanderu-speaking Namibians have constituted their own committee focusing on the "notorious" extermination policy carried out by German colonial military chief, General Lothar von Trotha, which wiped out a quarter of their population between 1904 and 1907.

Spokesperson of the Herero-Mbanderu Preparatory Committee, Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro, said that while his group welcomed initiatives to promote reconciliation it felt it was premature to use a "general approach" focusing on "anti-colonial struggle and reconciliation".

"We (Herero-Mbanderu) want to specifically focus on Von Trotha's proclamation and the genocide against us... we have our own way through which we intend to commemorate that genocide," he noted.

Matundu-Tjiparuro claimed that the other committee (NPCC04) was "spearheaded" by German-speaking Namibians and therefore was not appealing to most Hereros and Mbanderus.

In a statement released recently the NPCC04 stated its main aims as to "heal the wounds of the past, help build the nation by strengthening the process of reconciliation, unity and transformation and identify present problems that are consequences of decisions and actions taken in the past".

The committee plans to achieve this by informing the public about historical events around 1904, speaking out against wrongs of the past and encouraging different communities and individuals to talk about their experiences.

It indicated that its door remained open to any stakeholder with the same vision, including the Herero-Mbanderu committee, to join them them.

But Matundu-Tjiparuro ruled out the possibility of the two committees joining, pointing out that his committee was initiated well ahead of the NPCC04.

He stated that members of the Herero/Mbanderu committee attended the inaugural meeting of the NPCC04 but decided against joining when they realised that "their focus differed".

The Namibian has learnt that the Hereros and Mbanderus intend to use commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the German-Herero war to push ahead with their reparation claims against Germany.

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