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Over the last six decades, Germany has repaired and compensated for its historic role in the Holocaust of the Second World War by paying $ 70 billion to survivors since 1952. However, a group of Namibia's determined activists are fighting for recognition of the extermination of their ancestors by the German government in what was called the first genocide of the 20th century.
Although often overshadowed by subsequent Nazi crimes of the Second World War, the atrocities of the colonial era of Germany were recently the spotlight Between the 19th and the 20th century, the l '. Imperial Germany administered several parts of Africa including modern Togo, Cameroon, and Tanzania. What was then known as German South-West Africa (now Namibia) is where some of the darkest chapters of German colonization took place
. October 1904, West Africa rebels, German General Lothar von Trotha issued a written extermination order, saying: "In the German borders, each Herero, with or without rifle, with or without livestock , will be shot. "
The edict continues to clarify that women and children would not be spared.
Tens of thousands of Herero and Nama died of hunger in concentration camps in the desert or were massacred between the years 1904-1908. It has been estimated that 80% of the Herero and Nama people have been wiped out in the atrocities.
On July 31, representatives of the Nama and Herero people will be going down to the Southern District Court in New York to see if their quest for retrospective justice will be successful. In pursuing their case, Namibians have invoked the Alien Tort Statute, which allows non-US residents to file a claim with a US court for violation of international law. They demand a formal and comprehensive apology from the German government and reparations that could reach billions of dollars.
Esther Muinjangue is the president of the Ovaherero Genocide Foundation and, like many of her compatriots, has a deep personal connection to serious events. She spoke to PRI by phone from the Namibian capital, Windhoek
"The genocide was still alive in the form of stories told through the generations but people did not always understand the nature and the magnitude atrocities ". "The mother of my paternal grandfather has been raped by German soldiers, and it is the product of that, so I feel that part of my family tree is missing."
The precise details of the financial and land compensation requested remain a secret, but Muinjangue insists that the repairs must reflect the way in which the Herero and Nama were "We are not looking for money to put our hands in the pocket, the goal is to restore dignity, "she said," this is the land where people were killed, and we always felt that our demands fell on the ear of a deaf Enabling communities to participate in the reparations process would help heal these wounds. "
One of the Namibians' claims is that Germany is negotiating directly with representatives of the Herero and Nama rather than with the local people. with the Namibian government, Ruprecht Polenz, one Chief negotiators of the German government, told PRI that the Namibian government could be their only interlocutor
"When I was in Windhoek, I have the impression" There has many differing opinions on the case between Herero and Nama, and the only way for us to come to a solution is with the government, "said Mr. Polenz, who represents all Namibians and decides who seat on their behalf around the bargaining table. "
Polenz argues that Germany has no legal case to answer.
" There was no law in 1904-1908 that could apply. Unfortunately, there were genocides before that, but the 1948 Genocide Convention of 1948 is looking to the future, not retrograde, and that's what we expect from the New York court.
In 1985, a United Nations report In 2015, the German government acknowledged that the events constituted genocide, but ruled out direct reparations to survivors.
Andreas Eckert, president of African History at the Humboldt University of Berlin told PRI that this reluctance may be due to the fear of establishing legal precedence. "There are big legal consequences if the Herero and the Nama succeed," says Eckert. a wave of calls for compensation by other former German colonies and countries affected by their wartime actions in Europe, such as Greece and the Balkans. Germany is very afraid that this will open a Pandora's box, so they are very cautious. "
The German Government claims that Namibia is one of the largest beneficiaries of its humanitarian aid.
Uazuva Kaumbi, spokesman For the traditional authority of Ovaherero, he said that he considered this as an unsatisfactory replacement of reparations.
"We must distinguish between Germany's colonial obligation to repair and genocide," said Kaumbi. [Herero and Nama] have committed specific atrocities against them.All the evidence is there.And so the reparations have to come differently, not under the guise of development aid.We say that this should be specifically recognized as a special package to repair the genocide. "
Polenz states that the German government intends to establish a community trust that finances education, vocational training, housing and housing. l & # 39, renewable energy on Families live. The funds would be different and administered separately from the development budget.
Awareness of Germany's colonial role remains weak even in Germany, but recent high-profile campaigns by activists have gained momentum. Earlier this year, local authorities in a northern district of Berlin decided to rename three streets – Nachtigalplatz, Petersallee and Lüderitzstrasse – which bear the names of German colonialists.
Approaching the Namibian day, Kaumbi asserts that "If Germany does not call it genocide and that the reparations are not granted, if we are tired and are d & # 39; 39 agreement with the Germans to call them "atrocities" and accept "aid for development", This does not mean that future generations will not take it back.They must close this chapter in order to continue Muinjangue echoes a similar feeling.
"There is no law against hope. David finally defeated Goliath. "
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