Africa-Press – Namibia. <\/strong><\/span>Newly-coronated Ovaherero paramount chief, academic Hoze Riruako pledged his readiness to unite the heavily-divided community, intensify the ongoing genocide fight, and forge a mutually-beneficial relationship with government.<\/p>\nRiruako was officially installed on Saturday as the seventh Ombara Otjitambi of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) at the Red Flag Commando No.1 in Okahandja.<\/p>\n
Community members and various political figures flocked to the commando to witness Riruako\u2019s crowning moment.<\/p>\n
With this inauguration, the OTA now has two rival paramount chiefs, as Professor Mutjinde Katjiua was already installed in the same position by another OTA splinter group last year.<\/p>\n
In his acceptance speech, Riruako admitted that he is taking over the reins at a time when the community is deeply divided.<\/p>\n
The division, he hastened to say, is on the verge of compromising the ongoing efforts for restorative justice in the 1904\/08 genocide fight. \u201cWe are very divided as a community, and it is now my duty as the new paramount chief, together with you and all OTA friends, to ensure we hold hands and put our differences aside,\u201d Riruako said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I do hear that there is another OTA paramount chief who followed his own uncommon process to get there. But what I\u2019m saying is that when it comes to issues that are in the best interest of the community, let\u2019s put our differences aside and work together. I\u2019m ready to work with everyone, including those who are still on the other side,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
The academic, a nephew of the late OTA paramount chief Kuaima Riruako, emphasised that without unity of purpose and visionary leadership, the Ovaherero community will remain a delicacy for stray dogs. \u201cFor the past two years or so, our community has been through a lot, and we have had to put up with a lot of insults. In fact, we became a laughing stock of the nation, and this was all because of our own doing. But it all ends today here in Okahandja.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will work together to ensure our people are united again, and become the great nation that we once were. The unity of the Ovaherero people, here and beyond our borders, should always be at the centre of everything we do. With your support, we will bring our nation back on track. That I promise,\u201d said Riruako to thunderous applause from the large gathering.<\/p>\n
Alliance<\/p>\n
Again, he took the opportunity to underscore the importance of establishing a healthy, respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with government. From his bird\u2019s eye view, it is the only way both the Ovaherero people and government will succeed in their various endeavours. \u201cMy people, the Namibian government is our government. I know there are those who might not be affiliated to Swapo, and that is okay because you don\u2019t have to be Swapo in order to recognise that it is our government too. It is a Namibian government that happens to be a Swapo-led government. So, we are not enemies, and where we have serious difficulties with our government as a community, I will always be open to seek dialogue with the president and his team to discuss our differences or shortcomings. But we are not enemies, because we need each other to overcome the challenges ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd when I say the things I\u2019m saying here, it does not mean I will just sit on the fence and watch government oppress my people, never ever! We have the sensitive and unresolved genocide issue; we have the land issue; and many other pending economic issues; and we are going to work together with government to resolve all these issues as partners and as Namibians. That is what I\u2019m saying,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Restorative justice<\/p>\n
Riruako said he will dedicate most of his time to ensuring that the genocide issue receives the respect, effort and time it deserves from all interested parties, particularly from the German and Namibian governments. \u201cThis a generational mission, and is an issue that will remain top of our agenda. We lost cattle, lives and land, so whatever conversation we are going to have with the Germans and our government, it should be in that context. We did not lose roads and projects, as the Germans want to disrespect us with their nonsensical offer.\u201d In May, United Nations special rapporteurs criticised both Namibia and Germany for violating the rights of OvaHerero and Nama ethnic minorities by excluding them from talks over reparations for colonial crimes against their ancestors.<\/p>\n
The UN representatives called on Germany to take full responsibility for all its colonial crimes in Namibia, including mass murder. Meanwhile, talks between the two governments have seemingly hit a stalemate. At the moment, Germany has offered a paltry 1.1 billion euros (N$18 billion) for developmental projects in seven identified regions as reparations for genocide, in juxtaposition to Namibia\u2019s N$1.1 trillion demand.<\/p>\n
The latter figure takes into account loss of life, dispossession of land and displacement, amongst others.<\/p>\n
For More News And Analysis About Namibia<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Otniel Hembapu Africa-Press – Namibia. Newly-coronated Ovaherero paramount chief, academic Hoze Riruako pledged his readiness to unite the heavily-divided community, intensify the ongoing genocide fight, and forge a mutually-beneficial relationship with government. Riruako was officially installed on Saturday as the seventh Ombara Otjitambi of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) at the Red Flag Commando No.1 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":49564,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,7,12],"tags":[234,236,233],"class_list":["post-49565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-head-lines","category-policy","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-namibia","tag-namibia"],"yoast_head":"\n
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