Herero genocide committee briefs President Pohamba

TWENTY members of the Ovaherero/Mbanderu 1904 Committee for Dialogue (ODC-1904) briefed President Hifikepunye Pohamba at State House on Tuesday afternoon on the latest developments related to their activities.

Committee Chairman Chief Alfons Maharero and several other chiefs updated the Head of State on the current visit of the Von Trotha family to Namibia. According to Rudolf Kamburona, a member of the ODC-1904, it was a very open and frank discussion after Mike Kavekotora, who chairs the technical sub-committee, gave an overview of the latest developments.”We re-emphasised our call for a dialogue with Germany and the affected communities who suffered under German colonial rule to President Pohamba,” Kamburona told The Namibian.”Our demand for reparations was also brought up again.”Kamburona noted that it was not the first time the OCD-1904 had briefed State House on this topic.”We do that periodically,” he added.Since the call for dialogue was an international matter, Foreign Affairs Minister Marco Hausiku joined the session.Kamburona could not say if and when such a dialogue, requested three years ago, would finally kick off.”President Pohamba took note of our plight and he will take the issue to Cabinet,” he added.After the Herero commemoration at Omaruru last week, which was attended by the Von Trotha family, a similar event will be held this Saturday at Okahandja.There, the family will be led to the grave of Chief Samuel Maharero, who led the 1904 uprising against the German imperial forces (Schutztruppe), which was ruthlessly quashed under the command of General Lothar von Trotha.According to Rudolf Kamburona, a member of the ODC-1904, it was a very open and frank discussion after Mike Kavekotora, who chairs the technical sub-committee, gave an overview of the latest developments.”We re-emphasised our call for a dialogue with Germany and the affected communities who suffered under German colonial rule to President Pohamba,” Kamburona told The Namibian.”Our demand for reparations was also brought up again.”Kamburona noted that it was not the first time the OCD-1904 had briefed State House on this topic.”We do that periodically,” he added.Since the call for dialogue was an international matter, Foreign Affairs Minister Marco Hausiku joined the session.Kamburona could not say if and when such a dialogue, requested three years ago, would finally kick off.”President Pohamba took note of our plight and he will take the issue to Cabinet,” he added.After the Herero commemoration at Omaruru last week, which was attended by the Von Trotha family, a similar event will be held this Saturday at Okahandja.There, the family will be led to the grave of Chief Samuel Maharero, who led the 1904 uprising against the German imperial forces (Schutztruppe), which was ruthlessly quashed under the command of General Lothar von Trotha.