Herero call on Govt to act on dialogue

THE Herero community has appealed to Government to start dialogue with Germany on reparations and development projects for those communities affected by atrocities committed against them by German colonial rule between 1884 and 1915.

For the first time, Supreme Traditional Ovaherero Chief Alfons Kaihepavazandu Maharero publicly joined the call and said: “Without an amicable solution on this issue, Namibia’s Independence will be incomplete.” Maharero was speaking at the annual Herero gathering at Okahandja on Sunday, where the graves of several Herero chiefs are situated, including that of his direct ancestor, Chief Samuel Maharero, who led the uprising of his people in 1904 against German colonial rule.”I call on the Namibian Government to take the matter of reparations seriously.The Herero and Mbanderu as well as other affected communities (under Germany’s colonial reign) are not satisfied with the way the issue is being handled,” Chief Maharero said.At the centenary of the Herero uprising in 2004, several Herero leaders called for dialogue with Germany and prior to that launched a US$4 billion reparations claim in a US court against the German government and some German companies, which were active in Namibia during Germany’s colonial rule of former South West Africa.”Our properties are still in the hands of those who maimed our people,” Maharero said.”I reiterate my appeal to our Government to adopt a stern approach on the issue of reparations.”The 2004 apology by Germany’s Minister for Development Co-operation, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, which she rendered at the Ohamakari commemoration event would fail otherwise, he said.”To the German government I say that apology will not bring the desired healing if we do not sit around a table and address the outstanding matter,” Maharero urged.Chief Christian Zeraua of Omaruru pleaded that the two Herero committees established to handle the reparation issue and negotiate a dialogue should be unified.The two ‘genocide’ committees were set up by rival groups, one under Chief Kuaima Riruako and the other under mainly Swapo sympathisers and supporters of the Herero royal houses.Both committees claim to be the ‘official’ representative body.After the centenary commemorations of 2004, Chief Riruako called for dialogue between the Herero people and the German government.However, Germany said this could only take place on government level and not between Berlin and individual groups in Namibia.Although three years have passed, no such dialogue has taken place yet.Germany instead started a 20 million euro “special initiative” in May 2005.The funds will flow into projects yet to be determined by German consultants for Herero, Damara-Nama and San communities.Chief Riruako called on all Herero to form a “united front” when the dialogue starts.He also urged the German government not to “continue provoking the anger of the Herero people by continuously playing delaying and divide-and-rule tactics, hoping to evade your obligation to compensate our people.”DTA Member of Parliament McHenry Venaani said that the Namibian Government feared that the demand for dialogue and reparations “might hamper the current bilateral relationship” between the two countries.”The Germans might pressure that the existing aid (to Namibia) should be diverted to the affected communities,” he said.GERMAN PRESENCE A German Parliamentarian, Arnold Vaatz, Deputy Whip of the CDU/CSU ruling party, was also present at Okahandja.He did not speak at the event, but he told The Namibian afterwards that Germany could not enter into dialogue with different communities.”It must be from government to government,” Vaatz said.Asked why no dialogue had yet taken place, he said he would report back on the matter to the German parliament, and his party in particular.”Here in Namibia the affected communities must press the Namibian Government to get the dialogue going,” Vaatz said.The 84th annual Herero Day was attended by more people than last year, about 500, but has not reached the proportions of previous years because of several divisions along political fault lines in the community.However, a small parade of horsemen of the Commando of the Red Flag and women in their red-and-black dresses livened up the streets of the small town.Maharero was speaking at the annual Herero gathering at Okahandja on Sunday, where the graves of several Herero chiefs are situated, including that of his direct ancestor, Chief Samuel Maharero, who led the uprising of his people in 1904 against German colonial rule.”I call on the Namibian Government to take the matter of reparations seriously.The Herero and Mbanderu as well as other affected communities (under Germany’s colonial reign) are not satisfied with the way the issue is being handled,” Chief Maharero said. At the centenary of the Herero uprising in 2004, several Herero leaders called for dialogue with Germany and prior to that launched a US$4 billion reparations claim in a US court against the German government and some German companies, which were active in Namibia during Germany’s colonial rule of former South West Africa.”Our properties are still in the hands of those who maimed our people,” Maharero said.”I reiterate my appeal to our Government to adopt a stern approach on the issue of reparations.”The 2004 apology by Germany’s Minister for Development Co-operation, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, which she rendered at the Ohamakari commemoration event would fail otherwise, he said.”To the German government I say that apology will not bring the desired healing if we do not sit around a table and address the outstanding matter,” Maharero urged.Chief Christian Zeraua of Omaruru pleaded that the two Herero committees established to handle the reparation issue and negotiate a dialogue should be unified.The two ‘genocide’ committees were set up by rival groups, one under Chief Kuaima Riruako and the other under mainly Swapo sympathisers and supporters of the Herero royal houses.Both committees claim to be the ‘official’ representative body.After the centenary commemorations of 2004, Chief Riruako called for dialogue between the Herero people and the German government.However, Germany said this could only take place on government level and not between Berlin and individual groups in Namibia.Although three years have passed, no such dialogue has taken place yet.Germany instead started a 20 million euro “special initiative” in May 2005.The funds will flow into projects yet to be determined by German consultants for Herero, Damara-Nama and San communities.Chief Riruako called on all Herero to form a “united front” when the dialogue starts.He also urged the German government not to “continue provoking the anger of the Herero people by continuously playing delaying and divide-and-rule tactics, hoping to evade your obligation to compensate our people.”DTA Member of Parliament McHenry Venaani said that the Namibian Government feared that the demand for dialogue and reparations “might hamper the current bilateral relationship” between the two countries.”The Germans might pressure that the existing aid (to Namibia) should be diverted to the affected communities,” he said. GERMAN PRESENCE A German Parliamentarian, Arnold Vaatz, Deputy Whip of the CDU/CSU ruling party, was also present at Okahandja.He did not speak at the event, but he told The Namibian afterwards that Germany could not enter into dialogue with different communities.”It must be from government to government,” Vaatz said.Asked why no dialogue had yet taken place, he said he would report back on the matter to the German parliament, and his party in particular.”Here in Namibia the affected communities must press the Namibian Government to get the dialogue going,” Vaatz said.The 84th annual Herero Day was attended by more people than last year, about 500, but has not reached the proportions of previous years because of several divisions along political fault lines in the community.However, a small parade of horsemen of the Commando of the Red Flag and women in their red-and-black dresses livened up the streets of the small town.