Kameeta takes aim at ‘selective’ German media

EVANGELICAL Lutheran Church Bishop Zephania Kameeta has accused the German media of selective morality for sparing the German government from accepting historical responsibility for Namibian genocide victims.

Speaking at commemorations here on Sunday to mark the centenary of the colonial resistance, Kameeta said he found it “a matter of selective morality when they [German media] ask about Swapo apologising for the dungeons saga and not asking their own government to apologise for the genocide committed 100 years ago”. He was addressing more than 250 people, representing various Christian groups, who gathered at Wuppertal, about 60 kilometres from Cologne, to commemorate the first genocide of the 20th century: 90 000 people, mainly from the Herero, Nama, Damara and Tswana tribes, were exterminated on the orders of German Army General Lothar von Trotha.Some men, women and children died in concentration camps or in the desert while fleeing the massacre.Kameeta said: “I say this because we had the experience of German journalists who wanted to tell us how they wanted us to commemorate this occasion.The question of former detainees who died in the dungeons always props up.”Now I am asking the same question: why should Swapo be expected to apologise and not their own government.I am not against confession as it is necessary for reconciliation.But when we criticise each other we should do it with humility,” he urged.”When we criticise each other we should do it with humility and in the spirit of fellowship and co-operation while acknowledging the past in which we as Namibian were dictated to, divided, dehumanised and destroyed”.Speaking at the symposium during the commemoration, Wuppertal University professor and leader of thenA Free Namibia and South African Movement, Bertold Klappert, said as Germany would not take responsibility for the genocide in Namibia, the issue had to be put on the European Parliament agenda.”We have to accept responsibility and make a commitment to Namibians because we don’t want to be held hostage of our own history”.”It is a shame that our Foreign Minister, Joshka Fischer did not use the opportunity to make a formal apology when he visited Namibia late last year,” he said.(c)Klappert said he also found it unfair that Germany was prepared to accept responsibility for the genocide of European Jews but discriminated against descendants of genocide victims in Namibia.He said the United Evangelical Mission had decided to set up a textbook commission to include German colonial history in Namibia in German school.* Max Hamata is studying Development Politics and Economics at Potsdam University.He was addressing more than 250 people, representing various Christian groups, who gathered at Wuppertal, about 60 kilometres from Cologne, to commemorate the first genocide of the 20th century: 90 000 people, mainly from the Herero, Nama, Damara and Tswana tribes, were exterminated on the orders of German Army General Lothar von Trotha. Some men, women and children died in concentration camps or in the desert while fleeing the massacre. Kameeta said: “I say this because we had the experience of German journalists who wanted to tell us how they wanted us to commemorate this occasion. The question of former detainees who died in the dungeons always props up. “Now I am asking the same question: why should Swapo be expected to apologise and not their own government. I am not against confession as it is necessary for reconciliation. But when we criticise each other we should do it with humility,” he urged. “When we criticise each other we should do it with humility and in the spirit of fellowship and co-operation while acknowledging the past in which we as Namibian were dictated to, divided, dehumanised and destroyed”. Speaking at the symposium during the commemoration, Wuppertal University professor and leader of thenA Free Namibia and South African Movement, Bertold Klappert, said as Germany would not take responsibility for the genocide in Namibia, the issue had to be put on the European Parliament agenda. “We have to accept responsibility and make a commitment to Namibians because we don’t want to be held hostage of our own history”. “It is a shame that our Foreign Minister, Joshka Fischer did not use the opportunity to make a formal apology when he visited Namibia late last year,” he said. (c)Klappert said he also found it unfair that Germany was prepared to accept responsibility for the genocide of European Jews but discriminated against descendants of genocide victims in Namibia. He said the United Evangelical Mission had decided to set up a textbook commission to include German colonial history in Namibia in German school. * Max Hamata is studying Development Politics and Economics at Potsdam University.