{"id":34072,"date":"2022-11-18T15:51:55","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T15:51:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/reparations-could-open-colonial-pandoras-box"},"modified":"2022-11-18T15:51:55","modified_gmt":"2022-11-18T15:51:55","slug":"reparations-could-open-colonial-pandoras-box","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/reparations-could-open-colonial-pandoras-box","title":{"rendered":"Reparations could open colonial pandora\u2019s box"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. <\/strong><\/span>If Germany atones for the genocide committed on Namibian soil and pay just reparations, it could set a precedent that will push the global powerhouse into paying for all its colonial crimes.<\/p>\n

It could be likened to a proverbial pandora\u2019s box of \u201ccolonial crimes\u201d that Germany does not want opened.<\/p>\n

This fear, German politician Sevim Dag\u0306delen said, is why Germany is reluctant to accept, in no uncertain terms, that it committed genocide in Namibia and must pay commensurate reparations.<\/p>\n

She said Germany committed war crimes, even against Chinese people, that it is yet to atone for, let alone pay reparations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have [committed] colonial crimes in China. We never said \u2018sorry\u2019. We didn\u2019t pay back. We didn\u2019t send back their things [artifacts],\u201d she dropped the bombshell.<\/p>\n

The European powerhouse had a colony in China in the late 1800s until 1915.<\/p>\n

This could be deduced from Dag\u0306delen\u2019s public lecture at the University of Namibia on Wednesday, where she also advised Namibia to formulate a united strategy and speak with a common voice in the genocide matter, or forget Germany ever taking them seriously in the marathon talks.<\/p>\n

The public lecture was held under the theme \u2018Colonial Past\u2013Neo-colonial Present? International Relations in the Light of War, Sanctions and International Law\u2019.<\/p>\n

The Left Party parliamentarian said Namibians must be united against the global economic and political powerhouse.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t allow yourselves to be divided by the German government… go back to the drawing board because people [Namibians] are speaking with many voices,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

If the status quo continues, Namibians, particularly the affected communities, will have to wait for another 100 years to settle the genocide matter, the seasoned politician warned.<\/p>\n

She also rejected the N$18.1 billion genocide grant that the German government has extended to Namibia, to be paid over 30 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cEuros 1.1 billion over 30 years is not appropriate…[only] true reparations can bring true reconciliation,\u201d she stated, agreeing with all local opposition parties in parliament and most affected communities, who have rejected the offer.<\/p>\n

The German legislator could not say how much in monetary terms is just reparations for genocide.<\/p>\n

That, she said, is up to Namibians to decide and to stick to their demands without wavering.<\/p>\n

The 47-year-old has been unequivocal in her call for Germany to account for its colonial crimes.<\/p>\n

According to her, the German government used its position of economic and political power to suppress its Namibian counterpart.<\/p>\n

Dag\u0306delen has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2005, and has been advocating for the recognition of German colonial crimes and the decolonisation of German foreign policy.<\/p>\n

She also lamented the fact that the 1904-1908 genocide which colonial Germany meted out against the Nama and Ovaherero communities is not taught in German schools, nor is it part of their curriculum.<\/p>\n

Joint declaration<\/p>\n

During her presentation, Dag\u0306delen was baffled by the extent to which the disputed joint declaration between Germany and Namibia was elevated here, as it reached parliament.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in the German Bundestag, the declaration has not even reached the table.<\/p>\n

In Germany, it was just a mere announcement that there are ongoing talks between the two countries.<\/p>\n

It ended there.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was no debate in parliament. He [German foreign minister] just made an announcement. He was enjoying himself (sic)… You [Namibia] are better than we are,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

During her stay in Namibia, Dag\u0306delen met Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as well as National Assembly Speaker Peter Katjavivi.<\/p>\n

On the day, she did not want to disclose details of her engagements, while noting that \u201cthe meetings were fruitful\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not here to interfere with internal affairs,\u201d she emphasised.<\/p>\n

Waiting<\/p>\n

Her visit comes while the Namibian government waits for Germany\u2019s response to their July 2022 letter to relook the widely rejected tentative genocide agreement.<\/p>\n

The talks have seemingly hit a stalemate.<\/p>\n

As things stand, Germany has only proffered 1.1 billion euros (N$18 billion) for developmental projects in seven identified regions as reparations for genocide.<\/p>\n

This is while Namibia\u2019s N$1.1 trillion demand takes into account loss of life, dispossession of land and displacement, amongst others.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully, we will reach a figure which Germany is ready to give, and which Namibia is ready to accept. The government of the Republic of Namibia is waiting for a response from Germany on the proposed addendum. I am assuring Namibians that no agreement has been reached or signed with Germany yet,\u201d Vice President Nangolo Mbumba, who spearheads genocide talks on behalf of government, said recently.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Namibia<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. If Germany atones for the genocide committed on Namibian soil and pay just reparations, it could set a precedent that will push the global powerhouse into paying for all its colonial crimes. It could be likened to a proverbial pandora\u2019s box of \u201ccolonial crimes\u201d that Germany does not want opened. This fear, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":34071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12],"tags":[234,236,233],"class_list":["post-34072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-namibia","tag-namibia"],"yoast_head":"\nReparations could open colonial pandora\u2019s box - Namibia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/reparations-could-open-colonial-pandoras-box\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Reparations could open colonial pandora\u2019s box\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Africa-Press – Namibia. If Germany atones for the genocide committed on Namibian soil and pay just reparations, it could set a precedent that will push the global powerhouse into paying for all its colonial crimes. It could be likened to a proverbial pandora\u2019s box of \u201ccolonial crimes\u201d that Germany does not want opened. 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