‘Uncapped’ N$21,4b genocide deal negotiated

… as negotiators push for deal conclusion

Germany’s genocide deal with Namibia will be an “uncapped” €1,1 billion (or N$21,4 billion), says Namibia’s negotiators.

Negotiating team member Seth Nowaseb on Friday told The Namibian the deal aims to mimic €1,2 billion reparations paid to Holocaust survivors.

“We have agreed with Germany that once that €1,1 billion is used up, there are additional funds that are going to be provided, that are not capped at the moment. “Other people have also taken one lump sum and over 30, 40 years they have gotten additional money and that kept on being negotiated.”

Nowaseb said Israel was an example of a deal which began at about €1,1 billion and has ended up at about €70 billion.

One of the aspects of the deal which caused uproar was that both governments share the understanding that the amount offered settles all financial aspects of issues relating to the genocide.

Nowaseb said the initial agreement noted that the final amount was €1,1 billion, while the addendum of the joint declaration (JD) stipulates that Germany agrees that additional funds will be provided.

“We haven’t discussed how much those funds will be,” Nowaseb said.

On Thursday, vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the increase would be discussed in future.

“The inadequacy of the quantum amount the German government has agreed on without any conditions to make additional funding available for the implementation of the reconstruction and reconciliation programmes for the affected communities after the quantum amount is exhausted . . .”

Nandi-Ndaitwah further said she will never sell Namibians out during reparation negotiations.

She was responding to claims by Popular Democratic Party leader McHenry Venaani that “the Namibian government claims they won’t sell out on genocide, yet they negotiate a deal in which no quantum is agreed upon and depends on the mercy of Germany’s assessment”.

Venaani said the negotiating team lacks political pedigree to negotiate with Germany, which has a superior negotiating team.

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Venaani called on president Nangolo Mbumba to appoint someone with a deeper political presence.
He said a deal of atonement should include what the quantum is and perhaps agree to €6 or €10 billion.

Nandi-Ndaitwah was speaking to the media on Friday after a consultation meeting with the chiefs of the affected genocide communities during the ongoing negotiations between the Namibian and German governments.

“I am not a sell-out. I will never sell Namibia out. If anything, I will die for this country,” she said.

The chiefs want negotiations with Germany to be finalised before the end of this year.

Chiefs team leader Charles Eiseb said the leaders’ instruction is to complete the process, while chief Dawid Gertze of the //Haboben Traditional Authority said community members are dying and want to see the process concluded.

Former lawmaker Mike Kavekotora said it is evident that the Swapo-led government is compromised and can never negotiate and genuinely represent the interests of the genocide descendants.

He added Nandi-Ndaitwah through her speech was repeating what was already seen in the initial stages of the JD before it was tabled in parliament.

“The Swapo vice president failed miserably to inform the chiefs about the two prominent German resolutions to which the so-called JD speaks,” he said.

Kavekotora added it is a factual misrepresentation to say Germany acknowledged that what happened is a genocide as prescribed by United Nations Conventions.

“The qualification by Germany is actually dehumanising and simply put, says our ancestors were not human during 1904-1908 atrocities.”

He said the government has again failed “hopelessly” to establish a basis for the determination of the quantum.

“How do you negotiate in a vacuum and claim to negotiate in good faith? It is laughable to say additional money will be allocated once the current grant is depleted.”

He said it is “unimaginable” that a professional negotiation team selected on the basis of their competency committed such a material omission.

“What is the additional amount and who will determine that after 30 years?”