We want our land back: Hereros

THE Herero people are demanding the return of land they lost during the German colonial era, the Paramount Chief of the Ovaherero, Kuaima Riruako, said at the weekend.

Herero communities also have to be “reconstructed and rebuilt” with modern infrastructure like potable water, electricity, modern roads and health facilities, Riruako demanded. He was speaking at a ceremony at Okakarara to commemorate the Battle of the Waterberg in August 1904 between Herero and German soldiers.Riruako said the current impasse with the German government over the Herero’s reparation demands was unfortunate, and accused Berlin of “sweeping the tragic history of the Herero under the carpet”.Referring to a special initiative announced last year by the German government for the Herero, Nama and Damara people in Namibia, who particularly suffered under German colonial rule, Riruako dismissed the exercise as a “bogus scheme”.He said it made a mockery of his people by creating instability and division among them, while “buying the silence of some influential members of our modern society”.The Initiative for Reconciliation and Development (IRD) was conceived as a practical follow-up to a public apology for German colonial crimes made by Germany’s International Co-operation Minister, Heidi Wieczorek-Zeul, at Okakarara in 2004.The aim is to create and finance development projects exclusively in areas predominantly inhabited by Hereros, Namas and Damaras.According to the German government, the N$160 million for this initiative is in addition to regular German development aid.The initiative can only spring into action once it has been endorsed by the Namibian Cabinet.An agreement on the Initiative was supposed to be signed in December, when President Hifikepunye Pohamba paid a state visit to Germany, but the Namibian delegation refused to do that, saying it first had to consult affected communities.Meanwhile, a source in the Herero community told The Namibian that Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila had carried out consultations earlier this year.The agreement was signed when the bilateral negotiations for co-operation between Germany and Namibia were concluded a few weeks ago.”We are however very frustrated that no concrete steps have been followed and what the projects will be,” the source told this newspaper.Riruako also criticised Government’s stance that all land belonged to the State, saying this was preventing Hereros from having land lost under German rule returned to them.”This is unacceptable and a holdover from colonial settler days,” Riruako lashed out.The German Embassy in Namibia declined to comment on Chief Riruako’s statements.”There will be no statement made,” an embassy official told this newspaper yesterday, when approached for comment.He was speaking at a ceremony at Okakarara to commemorate the Battle of the Waterberg in August 1904 between Herero and German soldiers.Riruako said the current impasse with the German government over the Herero’s reparation demands was unfortunate, and accused Berlin of “sweeping the tragic history of the Herero under the carpet”.Referring to a special initiative announced last year by the German government for the Herero, Nama and Damara people in Namibia, who particularly suffered under German colonial rule, Riruako dismissed the exercise as a “bogus scheme”.He said it made a mockery of his people by creating instability and division among them, while “buying the silence of some influential members of our modern society”.The Initiative for Reconciliation and Development (IRD) was conceived as a practical follow-up to a public apology for German colonial crimes made by Germany’s International Co-operation Minister, Heidi Wieczorek-Zeul, at Okakarara in 2004.The aim is to create and finance development projects exclusively in areas predominantly inhabited by Hereros, Namas and Damaras.According to the German government, the N$160 million for this initiative is in addition to regular German development aid.The initiative can only spring into action once it has been endorsed by the Namibian Cabinet.An agreement on the Initiative was supposed to be signed in December, when President Hifikepunye Pohamba paid a state visit to Germany, but the Namibian delegation refused to do that, saying it first had to consult affected communities.Meanwhile, a source in the Herero community told The Namibian that Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila had carried out consultations earlier this year.The agreement was signed when the bilateral negotiations for co-operation between Germany and Namibia were concluded a few weeks ago.”We are however very frustrated that no concrete steps have been followed and what the projects will be,” the source told this newspaper. Riruako also criticised Government’s stance that all land belonged to the State, saying this was preventing Hereros from having land lost under German rule returned to them.”This is unacceptable and a holdover from colonial settler days,” Riruako lashed out.The German Embassy in Namibia declined to comment on Chief Riruako’s statements.”There will be no statement made,” an embassy official told this newspaper yesterday, when approached for comment.