Genocide affected us all – Nandi-Ndaitwah
Issue should not be used to ‘score political points’
Government has agreed that once the implementation of Germany's reconstruction offer starts, it will focus on the seven regions where the majority of descendants of genocide victims live, the Swapo Party vice-president said.
The German nation committed a terrible genocide which still haunts Namibia, Swapo Party vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said at a star rally in Swakopmund last weekend.
She told party supporters that the topic of genocide should not be used to score political points, adding that government has taken note of the points and objections raised in Parliament when Germany’s N$18.4 billion reconstruction offer was discussed over the last few months.
“The Germans - who are our former colonisers - have committed genocide in this country and this issue was brought to Parliament by a member of the opposition and we had a good majority. We accepted to discuss it and pass a resolution because this is an issue of national interest.
“We all suffered [from] that genocide. By this time, we would be more than two or three million people. This matter is haunting us and is painful regardless of where you are,” she said.
There has been great objection towards Germany’s offer, which is widely considered an insult. This opinion has been expressed even by Swapo ministers and bigwigs including mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo, who recently said the German development aid offer to compensate for the 1904-08 genocide is not sufficient, and that country can offer more.
These sentiments were also shared by Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba, who has repeatedly called the offer inadequate and asked Germany to reconsider.
Misleading
“That document [the German offer] was discussed in Parliament and our Parliament has made some comments and raised some issues. Currently, government is busy raising those issues with the German government in the best interest of the Namibian people.
“Now, there are those going around misleading our people, saying they are the ones who will get money from Germany and distribute to you. There is no way that this can be an individual project; it is a national project and our government has already agreed that once the implementation starts, it will focus on the seven regions where the majority of descendants of victims of the genocide are,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
These regions are Omaheke, //Karas, Hardap, Khomas, Otjozondjupa, Erongo and Kunene.
[email protected]
She told party supporters that the topic of genocide should not be used to score political points, adding that government has taken note of the points and objections raised in Parliament when Germany’s N$18.4 billion reconstruction offer was discussed over the last few months.
“The Germans - who are our former colonisers - have committed genocide in this country and this issue was brought to Parliament by a member of the opposition and we had a good majority. We accepted to discuss it and pass a resolution because this is an issue of national interest.
“We all suffered [from] that genocide. By this time, we would be more than two or three million people. This matter is haunting us and is painful regardless of where you are,” she said.
There has been great objection towards Germany’s offer, which is widely considered an insult. This opinion has been expressed even by Swapo ministers and bigwigs including mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo, who recently said the German development aid offer to compensate for the 1904-08 genocide is not sufficient, and that country can offer more.
These sentiments were also shared by Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba, who has repeatedly called the offer inadequate and asked Germany to reconsider.
Misleading
“That document [the German offer] was discussed in Parliament and our Parliament has made some comments and raised some issues. Currently, government is busy raising those issues with the German government in the best interest of the Namibian people.
“Now, there are those going around misleading our people, saying they are the ones who will get money from Germany and distribute to you. There is no way that this can be an individual project; it is a national project and our government has already agreed that once the implementation starts, it will focus on the seven regions where the majority of descendants of victims of the genocide are,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
These regions are Omaheke, //Karas, Hardap, Khomas, Otjozondjupa, Erongo and Kunene.
[email protected]
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