German Social Democrats reject calls for Herero reparations

GERMANY’S Social Democratic Party (SPD) says it fully supports the apology recently delivered by Minister Heidi Wieczorek-Zeul to the Herero people, but has dismissed demands for reparations.

“Backward-looking demands for reparations which are anyway raised only by a small minority are considered neither by the government nor by the SPD faction as bearing any chances of success,” said Dirk Sawitzky, an official of the SPD. After the historic break in the German-Namibian relations, through Wieczorek-Zeul’s speech at the Hamakari commemoration, “it is now decisive to look forward and to proceed on the way of reconciliation”, Sawitzky said in a statement published at the weekend.Herero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako said Minister Wieczorek-Zeul tried to urge him, after her speech, to withdraw his United States court case against the German state.In an interview with the German daily Die Tageszeitung, Riruako said he declined to withdraw the court case.Instead he later issued a statement in which he said: “Reparation means to repair what has been broken… Now the Federal Republic of Germany’s sincerity should be solidified by engaging the Herero to negotiate a settlement process.”He said he would not withdraw the court case unless the German government “substantially met” the Herero demands.After the historic break in the German-Namibian relations, through Wieczorek-Zeul’s speech at the Hamakari commemoration, “it is now decisive to look forward and to proceed on the way of reconciliation”, Sawitzky said in a statement published at the weekend.Herero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako said Minister Wieczorek-Zeul tried to urge him, after her speech, to withdraw his United States court case against the German state.In an interview with the German daily Die Tageszeitung, Riruako said he declined to withdraw the court case.Instead he later issued a statement in which he said: “Reparation means to repair what has been broken… Now the Federal Republic of Germany’s sincerity should be solidified by engaging the Herero to negotiate a settlement process.”He said he would not withdraw the court case unless the German government “substantially met” the Herero demands.