Riruako warns Von Trothas

A VISIT to Namibia by relatives of a German general – at the invitation of the six Herero Royal Houses – has elicited thinly veiled threats from a Herero traditional leader.

Eleven members of the Von Trotha family are scheduled to arrive in Namibia tomorrow, exactly 103 years after their ancestor, General Lothar von Trotha, issued an extermination order against the Herero people. They were invited by the Council of the six Herero Royal Houses to attend the annual Herero event of the White Flag Commando at Omaruru this week.Herero Chief Kuaima Riruako has called for a demonstration against the visit and warned them to bring their own security along to Namibia.”I regret to learn that the Von Trotha children are coming to Namibia,” Riruako said on the Otjiherero Radio service of the NBC last week.”I don’t know what they are coming for to do here, this is not in my interest.”The chief spoke these words a week ago at Lephalale, South Africa, to commemorate Herero Chief Samuel Maharero’s entry into South Africa in September 1907.Riruako further said he did not see “why it is important for them (Von Trotha family) to come to Namibia while we are in a difficult situation.We must stand up and prevent the Von Trotha children to come to Namibia.””When Von Trotha is coming to Namibia, he must bring along his security people to protect himself.When he goes to the site where he killed us, to do sightseeing, he might not leave that place alive.The person who is doing these things (inviting the Von Trothas) is playing with fire.The persons who are doing this, must know that they are bringing trouble,” the Chief said in Otjiherero.The Namibian was shown a transcript of the broadcast and an English translation.According to the Secretary of the Council of the six Herero Royal Houses, Festus Tjikuua, the Royal Houses under the leadership of Chief Alfons Maharero invited the Von Trotha family.”They will come here to apologise for the atrocities committed by their ancestor,” Tjikuua told The Namibian over the weekend.”We would like the Von Trotha family to lobby the German government after their visit to hold a dialogue with the Herero people with regard to our demand for reparations (from Germany).”Asked to comment on the contradicting views of Chief Riruako with regard to the arrival of the family, Ute Koenig, deputy head of mission at the German Embassy in Windhoek, said the visit would go ahead.”Namibia is a peaceful country and the Herero Royal Houses assured our Embassy that their visit and the events at Omaruru would go smoothly.We see it as another step in the right direction with regard to reconciliation,” Koenig said.Attempts to reach Chief Riruako for comment were unsuccessful.General Lothar von Trotha did not have children of his own and the family members travelling to Namibia are from a different lineage of the same family tree.General von Trotha issued his Vernichtungsbefehl (extermination order) at Ozombu Zovindimba in today’s Otjinene constituency.The Herero people had started an uprising against German colonial rule in January 1904, which culminated in the Battle of the Waterberg in August 1904.Although not defeated, the Herero moved eastwards into the waterless Omaheke, persecuted by soldiers of the Schutztruppe, and thousands died from thirst and exhaustion, trying to reach neighbouring Botswana.Chief Samuel Maharero arrived in Tsau in western Botswana in December 1904 and settled there with his mother and son, Friedrich.Three years later, he settled in South Africa with other Herero exiles.The young Herero men worked in South African mines and the mining bosses paid the Chief an allowance for each man sent to work there.They were invited by the Council of the six Herero Royal Houses to attend the annual Herero event of the White Flag Commando at Omaruru this week.Herero Chief Kuaima Riruako has called for a demonstration against the visit and warned them to bring their own security along to Namibia.”I regret to learn that the Von Trotha children are coming to Namibia,” Riruako said on the Otjiherero Radio service of the NBC last week.”I don’t know what they are coming for to do here, this is not in my interest.” The chief spoke these words a week ago at Lephalale, South Africa, to commemorate Herero Chief Samuel Maharero’s entry into South Africa in September 1907.Riruako further said he did not see “why it is important for them (Von Trotha family) to come to Namibia while we are in a difficult situation.We must stand up and prevent the Von Trotha children to come to Namibia.””When Von Trotha is coming to Namibia, he must bring along his security people to protect himself.When he goes to the site where he killed us, to do sightseeing, he might not leave that place alive.The person who is doing these things (inviting the Von Trothas) is playing with fire.The persons who are doing this, must know that they are bringing trouble,” the Chief said in Otjiherero.The Namibian was shown a transcript of the broadcast and an English translation.According to the Secretary of the Council of the six Herero Royal Houses, Festus Tjikuua, the Royal Houses under the leadership of Chief Alfons Maharero invited the Von Trotha family.”They will come here to apologise for the atrocities committed by their ancestor,” Tjikuua told The Namibian over the weekend.”We would like the Von Trotha family to lobby the German government after their visit to hold a dialogue with the Herero people with regard to our demand for reparations (from Germany).”Asked to comment on the contradicting views of Chief Riruako with regard to the arrival of the family, Ute Koenig, deputy head of mission at the German Embassy in Windhoek, said the visit would go ahead.”Namibia is a peaceful country and the Herero Royal Houses assured our Embassy that their visit and the events at Omaruru would go smoothly.We see it as another step in the right direction with regard to reconciliation,” Koenig said.Attempts to reach Chief Riruako for comment were unsuccessful.General Lothar von Trotha did not have children of his own and the family members travelling to Namibia are from a different lineage of the same family tree.General von Trotha issued his Vernichtungsbefehl (extermination order) at Ozombu Zovindimba in today’s Otjinene constituency.The Herero people had started an uprising against German colonial rule in January 1904, which culminated in the Battle of the Waterberg in August 1904.Although not defeated, the Herero moved eastwards into the waterless Omaheke, persecuted by soldiers of the Schutztruppe, and thousands died from thirst and exhaustion, trying to reach neighbouring Botswana.Chief Samuel Maharero arrived in Tsau in western Botswana in December 1904 and settled there with his mother and son, Friedrich.Three years later, he settled in South Africa with other Herero exiles.The young Herero men worked in South African mines and the mining bosses paid the Chief an allowance for each man sent to work there.