Germany has admitted to committing genocide in Namibia and will pay $ 1.34 billion to descendants of victims

Germany recognized for the first time on Friday that perpetrated a “genocide” against the populations of the Herero and Nama ethnic groups in Namibia at the beginning of the 20th century, during the colonial period, a decision received as a “not in the right direction»By the authorities of the African country.

“From today’s perspective, today we will qualify these events for what they are: genocide»Said the German Foreign Minister, Heiko maas, that’s a statement.

Germany further announced that will provide the country with 1.1 billion euros ($ 1.34 billion) in development and reconstruction assistance.

This sum will be delivered spread over a period of 30 years Yes it must primarily benefit the descendants of these two ethnic groups. From a legal point of view, it is not a question of compensation and this recognition in no way opens the way to a “legal claim for compensation”.

“We will apologize to Namibia and the descendants of the victims”

“Germany’s acceptance that genocide was committed is a first step in the right direction», He told the AFP Alfredo Hengari, the spokesperson for the Namibian president Hage Geingob. “This is the basis of the second step, which is to apologize and make arrangements for redress.“, He said.

The Namibian president will organize meetings with the heads of the Herero and Nama communities in the coming weeks on “modalities for implementing what has been agreed with Germany,” Hengari said.

All of this is the result of five years of difficult negotiations between the two countries.

Namibia was colonized by Germany between 1884 and 1915. Tens of thousands of Heroes and Namas were killed by German settlers in massacres between 1904 and 1908, considered by many historians to be the first genocide of the 20th century.

Sorry for the “atrocities”

“In light of Germany’s historical and moral responsibility, we will apologize to Namibia and the descendants of the victims” for the “atrocities” committed.the minister continued.

“The past cannot be erased. Acknowledging fault and asking for forgiveness are nevertheless an important step in overcoming the past and building the future together,” said the German foreign minister.

In an attempt at reconciliation, Germany delivered the bones of exterminated Herero and Nama tribesmen to Namibia in 2019 and State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Michelle Müntefering asked “forgiveness from the bottom of my heart“.

Germany hands over bones of exterminated Herero and Nama tribesmen to Namibia

A gesture deemed insufficient by the descendants and the Namibian authorities, who demanded an official apology and reparations.

Germany had repeatedly opposed, claiming it had already provided millions of development aid to Namibia since its independence in 1990.

Although the work of historical memory in Germany over the Nazi period is generally regarded as exemplary, that of its colonial period in Africa, from the second half of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, has long been neglected.

Concentration camps

The Herero tribes currently make up around 7% of the Namibian population, up from 40% at the start of the 20th century.

Deprived of their land and their cattle, the Heroes rose up against the German settlers in 1904, leaving a hundred dead among them.

Sent to suppress the rebellion, the German general Lothar von Trotha ordered their extermination. The Namas revolt a year later and suffer the same fate.

60,000 Heroes and around 10,000 Namas lost their lives between 1904 and 1908

In all, at least 60,000 Heroes and around 10,000 Namas lost their lives between 1904 and 1908. German colonial forces used genocidal techniques: massacres, exile in the desert where thousands of people died of thirst and concentration camps like the infamous Shark Island.

Bone remains, in particular the skulls of the victims, were sent to Germany for racial science experiments. Physician Eugen Fischer, who worked on Shark Island and whose writings influenced Adolf Hitler, sought to demonstrate “the superiority of the white race.”

(Por Isabelle Le Page – AFP)

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