German reconciliation drive finally starts

By: BRIGITTE WEIDLICH

THE N$200 million special initiative of the German government for Namibian communities who suffered under colonial rule a century ago is finally becoming a reality, as tenders for consultancy services for the project have been advertised.

"The closing date for a three-month consultancy is February 21,"

says George Likukela, Deputy Director of bilateral programmes in

the National Planning Commission (NPC).

"The consultants must come up with a time frame and

implementation plan starting in mid-year and we envisage to

complete the whole process within three to five years instead of

the originally envisaged ten-year period," Likukela told The

Namibian yesterday.

 

"This will cut administrative costs and allow more funds for the

projects."

 

According to him, advertisements were also placed in newspapers

in Germany for the 20-million-euro initiative.

 

However, the original idea to have only the Herero, Nama and

Damara communities benefit from the special funds has changed in

the meantime.

 

German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development

Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul announced back in May 2005 that Germany

was willing to start an "initiative for reconciliation" in Namibia

to the tune of 20 million euros over a period of 10 years until

2016.

 

The Minister made her surprise announcement in a speech when she

and Namibian Bishop Zephania Kameeta received a special award for

reconciliation from the Lutheran Church of North Rhine Westphalia

in Duesseldorf, Germany.

 

Her public apology to the Herero people came in August 2004 when

she attended the centenary commemoration of the 1904 Ohamakari

battle near Okakarara.

 

Talks with Namibian stakeholders and the Namibian Government

were underway to create an initiative for reconciliation,

Wieczorek-Zeul said in Duesseldorf.

 

"The core of the initiative will be a broad-based reconciliation

committee.

 

Representatives of the Namibian and German governments will be

responsible for the initiative," Wieczorek-Zeul added.

 

These would include churches and civil society, especially the

"representatives of the Herero, Nama and Damara communities", who

had specifically suffered under German colonial rule.

 

DIALOGUE FOR RECONCILIATION The envisaged reconciliation

committee was intended to further a dialogue of reconciliation and

to oversee the allocation of the envisaged funds for "development

measures in settlement areas of the Herero, Nama and Damara,"

according to the German Minister.

 

The Namibian Government was unaware of the special initiative

for reconciliation at that time.

 

"It is strange that the German government did not convey this

(new) development to us via the normal diplomatic channels,"

Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said in a reaction

during a press conference in 2005.

 

Shortly afterwards, the Berlin government hastened to correct

the diplomatic blunder.

 

Nonetheless, when a memorandum of understanding was supposed to

be signed between both governments in December 2005 during

President Hifikepunye Pohamba's state visit to Germany, the

Namibian delegation politely declined just hours before the

ceremony and stated that consultations had first to be conducted

with the affected communities.

 

The German side was taken aback by this.

 

SAN COMMUNITIES INCLUDED The Namibian Government has in the

meantime insisted that Bushman or San communities should also be

included in the 20-million-euro project, The Namibian has

learnt.

 

"We do not want to point out specific ethnic groups," an

official of the German development bank Kreditanstalt fuer

Wiederaufbau (KfW) said yesterday.

 

"This would not be according to the wishes of the German

government," said Olof Kramer, KfW representative in Namibia.

 

Asked if there had been a policy shift since Germany's economic

cooperation minister made the announcement in May 2005, when she

had specifically mentioned only the Herero, Nama and Damara

communities, Kramer replied that "nobody should be excluded."

 

The advertisement requesting consultants to embark on a study

for viable projects clearly states that "the special initiative is

meant for development projects in areas and for communities that

had 'historic ties' with the German colonial government and which

the present German government considers as a special moral and

political responsibility towards Namibia to aid the said

communities."

 

An official in the National Planning Commission (NPC) would

however not be pinned down who the communities with the "historic

ties" with the German colonial government would be.

 

"The Namibian government wants nobody excluded," NPC Deputy

Director Likukela said yesterday, "the San (Bushmen) communities

are now included in this initiative."

 

Likukela further pointed out that Deputy Prime Minister Dr

Libertina Amathila had visited those communities early last year on

instruction of President Pohamba to inform them about the German

initiative and to ask them what projects they had in mind.

 

The background information for the terms of reference (ToR)

document for the consultancy however clearly says that Amathila

informed the "Damara, Herero, Mbanderu and San," thus mentioning

specific ethnic groups.

 

"If the projects are now implemented after the consultants

screen and prioritise them, it is obvious that they will benefit

all people living in those areas today, one can not turn others

away," Likukela told The Namibian yesterday.

 

He warned that not all proposals could be carried out, as they

had to be scrutinised for viability and operating costs.

 

Cabinet approved the report of the Deputy Prime Minister in May

2006.

 

Amathila held meetings in 34 towns, villages and settlements in

the Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Kunene, Erongo, Karas and Hardap

regions, which were attended by some 3 000 people in total.

 

Many communities want boreholes, heritage museums, craft and

cultural centres as well as schools, hostels and clinics.

 

Upgrading of roads, skills training and low-cost housing for

specifically the San were also put on the list in the Deputy Prime

Minister's report.

 

"The consultants must come up with a time frame and implementation

plan starting in mid-year and we envisage to complete the whole

process within three to five years instead of the originally

envisaged ten-year period," Likukela told The Namibian

yesterday."This will cut administrative costs and allow more funds

for the projects."According to him, advertisements were also placed

in newspapers in Germany for the 20-million-euro

initiative.However, the original idea to have only the Herero, Nama

and Damara communities benefit from the special funds has changed

in the meantime.German Minister for Economic Cooperation and

Development Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul announced back in May 2005

that Germany was willing to start an "initiative for

reconciliation" in Namibia to the tune of 20 million euros over a

period of 10 years until 2016.The Minister made her surprise

announcement in a speech when she and Namibian Bishop Zephania

Kameeta received a special award for reconciliation from the

Lutheran Church of North Rhine Westphalia in Duesseldorf,

Germany.Her public apology to the Herero people came in August 2004

when she attended the centenary commemoration of the 1904 Ohamakari

battle near Okakarara.Talks with Namibian stakeholders and the

Namibian Government were underway to create an initiative for

reconciliation, Wieczorek-Zeul said in Duesseldorf."The core of the

initiative will be a broad-based reconciliation

committee.Representatives of the Namibian and German governments

will be responsible for the initiative," Wieczorek-Zeul added.These

would include churches and civil society, especially the

"representatives of the Herero, Nama and Damara communities", who

had specifically suffered under German colonial rule.DIALOGUE FOR

RECONCILIATION The envisaged reconciliation committee was intended

to further a dialogue of reconciliation and to oversee the

allocation of the envisaged funds for "development measures in

settlement areas of the Herero, Nama and Damara," according to the

German Minister.The Namibian Government was unaware of the special

initiative for reconciliation at that time."It is strange that the

German government did not convey this (new) development to us via

the normal diplomatic channels," Information Minister Netumbo

Nandi-Ndaitwah said in a reaction during a press conference in

2005.Shortly afterwards, the Berlin government hastened to correct

the diplomatic blunder.Nonetheless, when a memorandum of

understanding was supposed to be signed between both governments in

December 2005 during President Hifikepunye Pohamba's state visit to

Germany, the Namibian delegation politely declined just hours

before the ceremony and stated that consultations had first to be

conducted with the affected communities.The German side was taken

aback by this.SAN COMMUNITIES INCLUDED The Namibian Government has

in the meantime insisted that Bushman or San communities should

also be included in the 20-million-euro project, The Namibian has

learnt."We do not want to point out specific ethnic groups," an

official of the German development bank Kreditanstalt fuer

Wiederaufbau (KfW) said yesterday."This would not be according to

the wishes of the German government," said Olof Kramer, KfW

representative in Namibia.Asked if there had been a policy shift

since Germany's economic cooperation minister made the announcement

in May 2005, when she had specifically mentioned only the Herero,

Nama and Damara communities, Kramer replied that "nobody should be

excluded."The advertisement requesting consultants to embark on a

study for viable projects clearly states that "the special

initiative is meant for development projects in areas and for

communities that had 'historic ties' with the German colonial

government and which the present German government considers as a

special moral and political responsibility towards Namibia to aid

the said communities."An official in the National Planning

Commission (NPC) would however not be pinned down who the

communities with the "historic ties" with the German colonial

government would be."The Namibian government wants nobody

excluded," NPC Deputy Director Likukela said yesterday, "the San

(Bushmen) communities are now included in this initiative."Likukela

further pointed out that Deputy Prime Minister Dr Libertina

Amathila had visited those communities early last year on

instruction of President Pohamba to inform them about the German

initiative and to ask them what projects they had in mind.The

background information for the terms of reference (ToR) document

for the consultancy however clearly says that Amathila informed the

"Damara, Herero, Mbanderu and San," thus mentioning specific ethnic

groups."If the projects are now implemented after the consultants

screen and prioritise them, it is obvious that they will benefit

all people living in those areas today, one can not turn others

away," Likukela told The Namibian yesterday.He warned that not all

proposals could be carried out, as they had to be scrutinised for

viability and operating costs.Cabinet approved the report of the

Deputy Prime Minister in May 2006.Amathila held meetings in 34

towns, villages and settlements in the Otjozondjupa, Omaheke,

Kunene, Erongo, Karas and Hardap regions, which were attended by

some 3 000 people in total.Many communities want boreholes,

heritage museums, craft and cultural centres as well as schools,

hostels and clinics.Upgrading of roads, skills training and

low-cost housing for specifically the San were also put on the list

in the Deputy Prime Minister's report.

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