Time now to heal the wounds

THE previous bishop of the German Lutheran Church in Namibia, Reinhard Keding, could hardly foresee some five years ago – when he established a Centenary Committee together with Bishop Zephaniah Kameeta for the preparation of the 2004 commemoration of the Herero uprising – what an avalanche it would cause.

Keding was reportedly instructed by the Lutheran Church in Germany to set up such a committee. He only involved those Herero chiefs officially recognised by the Namibian Government.That was a major faux pas.It is an open secret that Government usually prefers to recognise traditional chiefs if they are either Swapo sympathisers or preferably Swapo Party members.This practice has fractured the Hereros (and other tribes) along political lines.In reaction to Keding’s faux pas, Herero Chief Kuaima Riruako, who applied for official recognition years ago, but did not receive that status, started his own centenary committee.The split caused immense problems for the preparations of the 2004 commemoration.THE LAWSUIT Riruako was probably also ignored by the Lutheran Church because in September 2001, he and some 200 prominent Hereros filed a lawsuit in the US court of the District of Columbia, demanding US$2 billion from the German government for atrocities committed against the Herero under colonial rule.Germany ruled Namibia, then called German South West Africa, between 1884 and 1915 before being forced to hand over the territory to South Africa after its defeat in World War I.The lawsuit lodged by the Herero Peoples’ Reparation Corporation was also seeking US$2 billion in damages from several German companies, including Deutsche Bank, mining company Terex Corporation, formerly Orenstein-Koppel Co, and the shipping company Deutsche Afrika Linie, formerly Woermann Linie, all of which allegedly profited from the German occupation of Namibia.The Herero were the first ethnic group to be subjected to genocide in the 20th century.They sought reparations for colonial policies that fit the definition of ‘genocide’, and used the procedures of the United States Alien Torts Claim Act of 1789 in a US federal court for war crimes committed overseas.This 218-year-old law allows for such a claim by any group or individuals.Hypothetically, should they have won the case, other ethnic groups who suffered during colonisation of western countries would have followed and inundated the Columbia court with claims.When German Economic Co-operation Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul asked for “forgiveness for our sins” at Ohamakari in August 2004, carefully avoiding the word ‘apology’, disappointed and frustrated Hereros immediately shouted “Zahlen, zahlen” and “mariva”.”Zahlen” is the German word for “pay” and “mariva” is the Herero word for money.The German minister went back to the microphone and told the large crowd that her words were in fact an apology.”Why did she not say the word a-p-o-l-o-g-y in her official speech? It would have started to heal the wounds,” several senior Herero politicians said afterwards.The opportunity for Germany to do the right thing had passed and was missed, leaving a bitter taste until today.DIALOGUE The dialogue between the Herero people and the German government urged by Herero Chief Kuaima Riruako in August 2004, just days after the Ohamakari event, has come to nothing.Neither the German nor the Namibian government has moved a millimetre.The German government says it’s waiting for the Namibian Government and the Hereros are waiting for the Namibian Government to act.On the diplomatic stage it is argued that the dialogue can only take place on government level, that is why Berlin has not made direct contact with the Hereros.Why doesn’t our Government do something about this hot potato? The issue will not go away, despite the stalemate.Several cynics who know Swapo politics charge that tribalism is to blame.Calling a spade a shovel, one insider told this reporter that Swapo is viewed mainly an ethnic party, ‘belonging’ to the Owambo tribe.”Swapo wants the glory of Independence all to themselves.They don’t want to publicly acknowledge that the Hereros had a big share in the success of the liberation struggle and that the 1904 Herero uprising against German colonial rule was 62 years before Swapo’s armed liberation struggle started in 1966.”According to older politicians from Omaheke who vividly remember the political history, it was Hereros and Mbanderus who arranged for Oshiwambo-speaking Swapo politicians to slip into exile across the border to Botswana, including former President Sam Nujoma.Herero Chief Hosea Kutako and his people were the first to petition the United Nations – on August 261946 – to liberate the country from South Africa’s mandatory rule.”Swapo conveniently wants to forget that,” an insider in Herero circles told The Namibian.”Our people felt terribly insulted when the bronze statue of our beloved Chief Hosea Kutako was wrapped up for over two years in black plastic bags, which are used to collect rubbish! This just shows you the disrespect for us!” WAY FORWARD Just this week, DTA MP McHenry Venaani said during debate in Parliament that Heroes’ Acre outside Windhoek was not the only site where Namibian heroes were buried.”There are (graves of) other heroes as well, in Okahandja for instance,” he told the House.At least four prominent Herero chiefs are buried at Okahandja – Samuel Maharero, his father and grandfather, Chief Hosea Kutako and also the Nama Chief Jan Jonker Afrikaner.With the two governments not having been able to get the dialogue going, which would give the Herero people a certain degree of recognition for their suffering, although maybe not monetary reparations, the Hereros might have to push harder, but have to wait longer – an uncomfortable situation.Both governments should be sensitive to the human side of the unfinished business: when attending various commemoration events, listening to speeches and speaking to individuals, it becomes more and more clear that on the human side there is a strong need to talk about what happened between 1904 and 1908, to cry together, hold hands together and come to terms – victims and victors – with that dark chapter – even after 100 years.The arrival in Namibia this week of members of the Von Trotha family, whose ancestor General Lothar von Trotha issued his notorious extermination order against the Hereros after the decisive Battle of the Waterberg in 1904, is a positive step.They will attend a Herero commemoration at Omaruru this weekend.If more descendants of German officers and soldiers of 1904 could be traced to participate in youth exchange programmes with Herero speakers (and Namas, Damaras and San), start joint projects to record the oral history of the uprising, that would be more healing than on the political platform.It would also be worthwhile to jointly trace Hereros, Namas and Damaras in the African diaspora.Hereros fled to Angola, Botswana and South Africa.Herero, Nama and Damara prisoners were sent as far as Cameroon and other West African countries under German colonial rule.Their fates have not been recorded yet.Yes, and those skulls of war prisoners between 1904 and 1908 – sent to Germany for ‘scientific studies’ – could we have them back please? We need to bury them here on Namibian soil.He only involved those Herero chiefs officially recognised by the Namibian Government.That was a major faux pas.It is an open secret that Government usually prefers to recognise traditional chiefs if they are either Swapo sympathisers or preferably Swapo Party members.This practice has fractured the Hereros (and other tribes) along political lines.In reaction to Keding’s faux pas, Herero Chief Kuaima Riruako, who applied for official recognition years ago, but did not receive that status, started his own centenary committee.The split caused immense problems for the preparations of the 2004 commemoration. THE LAWSUIT Riruako was probably also ignored by the Lutheran Church because in September 2001, he and some 200 prominent Hereros filed a lawsuit in the US court of the District of Columbia, demanding US$2 billion from the German government for atrocities committed against the Herero under colonial rule.Germany ruled Namibia, then called German South West Africa, between 1884 and 1915 before being forced to hand over the territory to South Africa after its defeat in World War I.The lawsuit lodged by the Herero Peoples’ Reparation Corporation was also seeking US$2 billion in damages from several German companies, including Deutsche Bank, mining company Terex Corporation, formerly Orenstein-Koppel Co, and the shipping company Deutsche Afrika Linie, formerly Woermann Linie, all of which allegedly profited from the German occupation of Namibia.The Herero were the first ethnic group to be subjected to genocide in the 20th century.They sought reparations for colonial policies that fit the definition of ‘genocide’, and used the procedures of the United States Alien Torts Claim Act of 1789 in a US federal court for war crimes committed overseas.This 218-year-old law allows for such a claim by any group or individuals.Hypothetically, should they have won the case, other ethnic groups who suffered during colonisation of western countries would have followed and inundated the Columbia court with claims.When German Economic Co-operation Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul asked for “forgiveness for our sins” at Ohamakari in August 2004, carefully avoiding the word ‘apology’, disappointed and frustrated Hereros immediately shouted “Zahlen, zahlen” and “mariva”.”Zahlen” is the German word for “pay” and “mariva” is the Herero word for money.The German minister went back to the microphone and told the large crowd that her words were in fact an apology.”Why did she not say the word a-p-o-l-o-g-y in her official speech? It would have started to heal the wounds,” several senior Herero politicians said afterwards.The opportunity for Germany to do the right thing had passed and was missed, leaving a bitter taste until today. DIALOGUE The dialogue between the Herero people and the German government urged by Herero Chief Kuaima Riruako in August 2004, just days after the Ohamakari event, has come to nothing.Neither the German nor the Namibian government has moved a millimetre.The German government says it’s waiting for the Namibian Government and the Hereros are waiting for the Namibian Government to act.On the diplomatic stage it is argued that the dialogue can only take place on government level, that is why Berlin has not made direct contact with the Hereros.Why doesn’t our Government do something about this hot potato? The issue will not go away, despite the stalemate.Several cynics who know Swapo politics charge that tribalism is to blame.Calling a spade a shovel, one insider told this reporter that Swapo is viewed mainly an ethnic party, ‘belonging’ to the Owambo tribe.”Swapo wants the glory of Independence all to themselves.They don’t want to publicly acknowledge that the Hereros had a big share in the success of the liberation struggle and that the 1904 Herero uprising against German colonial rule was 62 years before Swapo’s armed liberation struggle started in 1966.”According to older politicians from Omaheke who vividly remember the political history, it was Hereros and Mbanderus who arranged for Oshiwambo-speaking Swapo politicians to slip into exile across the border to Botswana, including former President Sam Nujoma.Herero Chief Hosea Kutako and his people were the first to petition the United Nations – on August 261946 – to liberate the country from South Africa’s mandatory rule.”Swapo conveniently wants to forget that,” an insider in Herero circles told The Namibian.”Our people felt terribly insulted when the bronze statue of our beloved Chief Hosea Kutako was wrapped up for over two years in black plastic bags, which are used to collect rubbish! This just shows you the disrespect for us!” WAY FORWARD Just this week, DTA MP McHenry Venaani said during debate in Parliament that Heroes’ Acre outside Windhoek was not the only site where Namibian heroes were buried.”There are (graves of) other heroes as well, in Okahandja for instance,” he told the House.At least four prominent Herero chiefs are buried at Okahandja – Samuel Maharero, his father and grandfather, Chief Hosea Kutako and also the Nama Chief Jan Jonker Afrikaner.With the two governments not having been able to get the dialogue going, which would give the Herero people a certain degree of recognition for their suffering, although maybe not monetary reparations, the Hereros might have to push harder, but have to wait longer – an uncomfortable situation.Both governments should be sensitive to the human side of the unfinished business: when attending various commemoration events, listening to speeches and speaking to individuals, it becomes more and more clear that on the human side there is a strong need to talk about what happened between 1904 and 1908, to cry together, hold hands together and come to terms – victims and victors – with that dark chapter – even after 100 years.The arrival in Namibia this week of members of the Von Trotha family, whose ancestor General Lothar von Trotha issued his notorious extermination order against the Hereros after the decisive Battle of the Waterberg in 1904, is a positive step.They will attend a Herero commemoration at Omaruru this weekend.If more descendants of German officers and soldiers of 1904 could be traced to participate in youth exchange programmes with Herero speakers (and Namas, Damaras and San), start joint projects to record the oral history of the uprising, that would be more healing than on the political platform.It would also be worthwhile to jointly trace Hereros, Namas and Damaras in the African diaspora.Hereros fled to Angola, Botswana and South Africa.Herero, Nama and Damara prisoners were sent as far as Cameroon and other West African countries under German colonial rule.Their fates have not been recorded yet.Yes, and those skulls of war prisoners between 1904 and 1908 – sent to Germany for ‘scientific studies’ – could we have them back please? We need to bury them here on Namibian soil.