N$510bn genocide claim angers Nama

The Namibian government is being accused of using limited sources for their analyses and calculations, which arrived at a figure of N$510 billion it wants to claim from Germany for genocide reparations. This figure can be attributed to the impact of probable discomfort, a lack of confidence and time pressure from the German government, claimed Deodat Dirkse, chairperson of the Nama Genocide Technical Committee.According to Dirkse the two governments are not negotiating as equal sovereign states, which was confirmed by “Germany's dictatorial approach”.He said further the Namibian government's continued disturbing and irresponsible approach to the genocide proves it is not the appropriate body to engage with the German authorities on the matter.“They continue to deliberately undermine the Nama and Ovaherero genocide and it is becoming intolerable. We have to respect the resolution of the democratically elected National Assembly, as they debated the genocide matter before adopting the resolution,” he said.According Dirkse, The Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA) represents the Nama people, but not a single member of the association has been included in government's negotiation team.“The government must accept that the Nama people lost their political and economic lives, as a direct consequence of the genocide. The government should not negotiate on behalf of Nama, if they think like Germany's Paul Rohrbach, that there is no justification for the preservation of Nama race, because they are useless,” Dirkse said.Nama representatives are also disputing the number of deaths that occurred during the genocide, saying the Namibian government figure of 20 000 Nama before 1904 is bogus. They also slammed government's proposition that no Nama and Ovaherero were born from 1 January until the 1911 census as absurd. “How exactly this figure (the N$510 billion) was arrived at and which criteria were considered is also not clear and neither has this criteria been discussed with transparency and accountability towards the Nama and Ovaherero people,” Dirkse said.He was reacting on an article that was published in The Patriot weekly newspaper last Thursday which said government was looking to claim N$510 billion from Germany as genocide reparations.“It is clear from the article that the Namibian government is concerned, uncomfortable and lacks confidence in their negotiations with the Germans. Genocide cannot be subsumed with development assistance,” he said.Turning to the estimation of the indigenous population during imperial Germany's advance into Namibia, he said William Coates Palgrave, who undertook series of diplomatic missions between 1876 and 1885, said the Nama population in 1876 was 18 350, while Governor Theodor Leutwein estimated the Nama population in 1894 to be 20 000 and Captain Kurt Schwabe on 1 January 1903 gives a figure of 20 000 for the Nama. “These are all estimates; no census was conducted. We do not know if these figures were only focused on adults, only looking at the Nama living in Great Namaqualand and Damaraland or whether any other criteria was used,” he said.He maintained that natural population growth was also not provided for during the period 1876 to 1894 and again between 1894 and 1903.“Similarly, books like the 'Blue Book' and 'Let Us Die Fighting' put the Nama survivors at 9 781 (after the genocide), whilst 'A History of Namibia' puts the number at 14 236, although reference is made to the same 1911 census. It means census numbers cannot be compared to estimates,” he argued.He said the Namibian government uses the “original” 80 000 Ovaherero and 20 000 Nama, less 33 659 “survivors of these groups to conclude 66 341 lives were lost”.According to him, the Namibian government is this claiming that the 5 764 missing Nama were killed. “We know about 2 500 with Kaptein Simon Kooper in late September 1907. General Ludwig von Estorff's estimate of 1 900 Nama deaths on Shark Island and 1 500 Nama - the Bethanie people, the Witbooi clan and the Veldskoendraers - that died before reaching Shark Island. These recorded 5 900 people having died, which already exceeds 5 764,” he argued.Dirkse also raised the issue of those that died during their deportation to Togo and Cameroon, and others who died by being hanged and flogged on mainland, as well as women and children shot one by one, as per witness statements in the Blue Book, and slave labourers that were issued with death certificates.“What happened to the rest of the prisoners from other Nama tribes and those who died in the veld due to German policy of sealing waterholes - deaths that are impossible to quantify?” Dirkse wanted to know.He said some Nama fled to South Africa. “The government's suggestion that no Nama and Ovaherero were born from 1 January 1903 until the 1911 census is absurd. The estimated Nama population of 20 000 before 1904 is bogus,” Dirkse added. FRED GOEIEMAN

N$510bn genocide claim angers Nama

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

Please login to leave a comment

N$510bn genocide claim angers Nama

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

Please login to leave a comment

Login