Kooper hailed as a champion of restorative justice

The late Gaob Petrus Kooper of the Kai-//Khaun community has been hailed as a principled man who never wavered in the fight for restorative justice for the Nama people and the brutalities they had endured during the 1904-08 Nama and Ovaherero genocide by Imperial Germany.Reverend Francis Kooper, the late chief’s brother, said Kooper was an icon and a brave leader who was not afraid of a challenge.He said the memory of his brother should be honoured by taking the fight for reparations to another level.“You left a huge gap and those who remain to take up the torch understand that it is nothing about us, for us, and we will not start looking for excuses. And please don’t come here (funeral) to defend your positions. Government must recognise our chiefs, they are our leaders, even if they cannot speak English,” Kooper stressed.Do not fadeGaob Paul Swartbooi of the Bondelswarts community in South Africa, who travelled to Namibia for the burial of Gaoab, said Kooper was a man of his word, who spoke his mind without mincing words, but also had an outstanding sense of humour.“He was an interesting person and his most important legacy will be his fight for the genocide. I really hope this fight will not fade now that he has passed on. We cannot allow that. The genocide had a direct impact on us who were born in South Africa and Botswana, because our grandparents were forced to flee their motherland,” said Swartbooi.Meanwhile, Hardap governor Salomon April condemned those who tainted the funeral and memorial services of the late Kooper by pushing political agendas and Nama leaders who undermined Nama traditional authorities.Natalia IIGoagoses, deputy minister of urban and rural development, meanwhile urged the community to avoid a succession dispute.“It is a pity, that we have no choice but to bring this matter to your attention at the time of mourning because experience has shown us that once a chief dies, traditional communities have a tendency in creating factions around who will succeed the late chief, contrary to the customary law,” she said.Professor Mutjinde Katjiua, paramount chief of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA), whose chieftaincy is in dispute among the Ovaherero community, said he will remain side by side with the Namas in the fight for restorative justice.jemima@namibiansun.com

Kooper hailed as a champion of restorative justice

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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Kooper hailed as a champion of restorative justice

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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