Opposition want more consultations on genocide reparations deal

Some opposition members of parliament (MPs) say they will reject the 1904 to 1908 genocide reparations joint declaration.

Parliament in 2021 rejected the government’s first attempt to push through the deal.

The Namibian Sun yesterday reported that Cabinet allegedly directed that the controversial joint declaration between Namibia and Germany on reparations for the Nama and Ovaherero genocide be signed before March 2025.

This follows the last meeting of Namibia and Germany’s negotiators in Windhoek in November.

Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) deputy leader Kalimbo Iipumbu yesterday said the amendments to the genocide reparations declaration are indeed significant, and their impact requires careful scrutiny. While acknowledging that the removal of the cap on the €1.1 billion amount (about N$ 2.4 billion) is a positive step, he said it is not enough.

“However, it will be essential to clarify how this uncapped figure will be determined, allocated and monitored to ensure the reparations are meaningful and directly benefit the affected communities,” he said.

Iipumbu said the inclusion of those in the diaspora must go beyond symbolic gestures and address the real needs of communities dispersed across borders, ensuring they are equally prioritised in the reparations process.

“While these amendments indicate progress, they are not the sole criteria for approval,” he said.

The NEFF MP said the declaration must be scrutinised to ensure it centers on the voices of the affected communities.

“It should provide tangible justice and empowerment, rather than symbolic gestures or politically expedient agreements,” he said.

Rally for Democracy and Progress president Mike Kavekotora yesterday said the joint declaration, with all its subsequent amendments, fell short of complying to the motion tabled by the late Kuaima Riruako in 2006 in many material respects.

“The Namibian government, through acceding to this nonsense, has demonstrated their incompetence and a lack of emotional involvement to appreciate the real material and emotional damage caused by the German atrocities to the affected communities,” he said.

Kavekotora said that is why they adopted a ‘don’t care’ attitude towards the genocide talks.

“Keep in mind that the affected communities waited for so long and will not settle for less, even if it has to take another 100 years to conclude a realistic deal,” he stated. National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) MP Joseph Kauandenge yesterday said they will not accept a settlement reached between the two governments without the involvement of the affected communities.

“On the quantum level, although it will be uncapped, there are still lingering questions as to how much this settlement or payments amount to – uncapped without specifics invites more questions than answers,” he said.

Kauandenge said the issue of the inclusion of those in the diaspora remains vague and without any specifics as well.

“How will they benefit from this reparation money? Surely there must be clear outlined processes and procedures as to how they will benefit,” he said.

The MP said they will have to wait and see whether the German government will finally admit that this was genocide.

“We will cross the bridge only after we have read the final text of this joint declaration in black and white. However, from the few insights we have heard, it will be difficult for Nudo to support this declaration once tabled in parliament again,” he added.