Ovaherero remember genocide

ONE hundred years and a month since the ‘Extermination Order”, thousands of Ovaherero at the weekend returned to a remote spot in the Kalahari desert where German colonial military leader General Lothar von Trotha issued his infamous command to destroy the Ovaherero as a nation.

The order, which led to the annihilation of about two-thirds of the Ovaherero at the beginning of the 20th century, was issued at a place known as the Ozombuzovindimba – modern-day Otjinene Constituency in the Omaheke Region. Led by their burly paramount chief, Kuaima Riruako, Ovaherero tribesmen marched through the thick sand and veld to lay wreaths at two graves marked by stones, and climbed a man-made sand hill on which Von Trotha stood when he read out the Extermination Order, before signing the so-called ‘Ozombuzovindimba Declaration’ to reaffirm their commitment to fight for reparations from Germany.”We, the Ovaherero, descendants of the survivors and victims of the Extermination Order …solemnly declare to carry on the struggle for reparations for as long as it takes and if need be, pass the struggle on to future generations of the Ovaherero for decades to come until justice is done,” the declaration reads in part.The tribe vowed to petition the international community, particularly the United Nations, African Union, human rights organisations and tribunals the world over, until Germany accedes to their demands.”[We solemnly declare] to take our justified demand for the court of public opinion in Germany, with a view to expose the naked racism perpetrated against the Ovaherero people by successive German governments, which refuse to entertain our demand whilst continuing to pay compensation to the Jews in Israel, simply because they are white and we are Africans,” the Ovaherero charge.The African tribe also threatened unspecified action against “German interests” if the former colonial ruler continues to ignore their demands for reparations.”We reserve our right as a suffering people to resort to other legitimate means of struggle against German interests anywhere in the world, whether alone or in association with others who are in solidarity with us, until we achieve final victory.”The mainly cattle-herding ethnic group has filed a N$20 billion lawsuit in a United States federal court against Germany and some German companies.Germany has reluctantly apologised for the slaughter of thousands of Ovaherero by its colonial forces, but continues to rule out paying reparations.Riruako opines that Germany’s ‘no-pay attitude’ is being boosted by what he sees as “hypocrisy and double standards” on the part of the Namibian Government on the issue of Ovaherero reparations.He charged that all along Government has shunned commemorative activities for this year’s centenary of the Ovaherero genocide, but now some leaders are coming up with “eleventh-hour pretensions” on the issue.”The response [by Government] has been a slap in our face.Rarely have we been afforded any apology or credible excuse for the government’s absence from these historic commemorative activities…we reject this partisan approach to national events,” Riruako said.”The very same Government that has been basking in the historic deeds of Kahimemua Nguvauva, Samuel Maharero and Hosea Kutako.Yet, activities to honour their deeds and those of other Namibian heroes and heroines are meaningless to the Government.”Former Attorney General Advocate Vekuii Rukoro cautioned the Ovaherero to guard against manoeuvres that Germany might employ in a bid to divide the Ovaherero people over the issue of reparations.He charged that when the Germans first came to Namibia, they pretended to be the saviours but ended up being the killers.”This time they are coming in a different form through churches and their message is reconciliation.”Now they are approaching and inviting the Ovaherero leaders as individuals.Please, in the name of your forefathers’ blood which was spilled right here [at Ozombuzovindimba], don’t let the enemy divide you further,” the lawyer pleaded.Led by their burly paramount chief, Kuaima Riruako, Ovaherero tribesmen marched through the thick sand and veld to lay wreaths at two graves marked by stones, and climbed a man-made sand hill on which Von Trotha stood when he read out the Extermination Order, before signing the so-called ‘Ozombuzovindimba Declaration’ to reaffirm their commitment to fight for reparations from Germany.”We, the Ovaherero, descendants of the survivors and victims of the Extermination Order …solemnly declare to carry on the struggle for reparations for as long as it takes and if need be, pass the struggle on to future generations of the Ovaherero for decades to come until justice is done,” the declaration reads in part.The tribe vowed to petition the international community, particularly the United Nations, African Union, human rights organisations and tribunals the world over, until Germany accedes to their demands.”[We solemnly declare] to take our justified demand for the court of public opinion in Germany, with a view to expose the naked racism perpetrated against the Ovaherero people by successive German governments, which refuse to entertain our demand whilst continuing to pay compensation to the Jews in Israel, simply because they are white and we are Africans,” the Ovaherero charge.The African tribe also threatened unspecified action against “German interests” if the former colonial ruler continues to ignore their demands for reparations.”We reserve our right as a suffering people to resort to other legitimate means of struggle against German interests anywhere in the world, whether alone or in association with others who are in solidarity with us, until we achieve final victory.”The mainly cattle-herding ethnic group has filed a N$20 billion lawsuit in a United States federal court against Germany and some German companies.Germany has reluctantly apologised for the slaughter of thousands of Ovaherero by its colonial forces, but continues to rule out paying reparations.Riruako opines that Germany’s ‘no-pay attitude’ is being boosted by what he sees as “hypocrisy and double standards” on the part of the Namibian Government on the issue of Ovaherero reparations.He charged that all along Government has shunned commemorative activities for this year’s centenary of the Ovaherero genocide, but now some leaders are coming up with “eleventh-hour pretensions” on the issue.”The response [by Government] has been a slap in our face.Rarely have we been afforded any apology or credible excuse for the government’s absence from these historic commemorative activities…we reject this partisan approach to national events,” Riruako said.”The very same Government that has been basking in the historic deeds of Kahimemua Nguvauva, Samuel Maharero and Hosea Kutako.Yet, activities to honour their deeds and those of other Namibian heroes and heroines are meaningless to the Government.”Former Attorney General Advocate Vekuii Rukoro cautioned the Ovaherero to guard against manoeuvres that Germany might employ in a bid to divide the Ovaherero people over the issue of reparations.He charged that when the Germans first came to Namibia, they pretended to be the saviours but ended up being the killers.”This time they are coming in a different form through churches and their message is reconciliation.”Now they are approaching and inviting the Ovaherero leaders as individuals.Please, in the name of your forefathers’ blood which was spilled right here [at Ozombuzovindimba], don’t let the enemy divide you further,” the lawyer pleaded.