If Germany atones for the genocide committed on Namibian soil and pay just reparations, it could set a precedent that will push the global powerhouse into paying for all its colonial crimes.
It could be likened to a proverbial pandora’s box of “colonial crimes” that Germany does not want opened.
This fear, German politician Sevim Dağdelen said, is why Germany is reluctant to accept, in no uncertain terms, that it committed genocide in Namibia and must pay commensurate reparations.
She said Germany committed war crimes, even against Chinese people, that it is yet to atone for, let alone pay reparations.
“We have [committed] colonial crimes in China. We never said ‘sorry’. We didn’t pay back. We didn’t send back their things [artifacts],” she dropped the bombshell.
The European powerhouse had a colony in China in the late 1800s until 1915.
This could be deduced from Dağdelen’s public lecture at the University of Namibia on Wednesday, where she also advised Namibia to formulate a united strategy and speak with a common voice in the genocide matter, or forget Germany ever taking them seriously in the marathon talks.
The public lecture was held under the theme ‘Colonial Past–Neo-colonial Present? International Relations in the Light of War, Sanctions and International Law’.
The Left Party parliamentarian said Namibians must be united against the global economic and political powerhouse.
“Don’t allow yourselves to be divided by the German government… go back to the drawing board because people [Namibians] are speaking with many voices,” she added.
If the status quo continues, Namibians, particularly the affected communities, will have to wait for another 100 years to settle the genocide matter, the seasoned politician warned.
She also rejected the N$18.1 billion genocide grant that the German government has extended to Namibia, to be paid over 30 years.
“Euros 1.1 billion over 30 years is not appropriate…[only] true reparations can bring true reconciliation,” she stated, agreeing with all local opposition parties in parliament and most affected communities, who have rejected the offer.
The German legislator could not say how much in monetary terms is just reparations for genocide.
That, she said, is up to Namibians to decide and to stick to their demands without wavering.
The 47-year-old has been unequivocal in her call for Germany to account for its colonial crimes.
According to her, the German government used its position of economic and political power to suppress its Namibian counterpart.
Dağdelen has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2005, and has been advocating for the recognition of German colonial crimes and the decolonisation of German foreign policy.
She also lamented the fact that the 1904-1908 genocide which colonial Germany meted out against the Nama and Ovaherero communities is not taught in German schools, nor is it part of their curriculum.
Joint declaration
During her presentation, Dağdelen was baffled by the extent to which the disputed joint declaration between Germany and Namibia was elevated here, as it reached parliament.
Meanwhile, in the German Bundestag, the declaration has not even reached the table.
In Germany, it was just a mere announcement that there are ongoing talks between the two countries.
It ended there.
“There was no debate in parliament. He [German foreign minister] just made an announcement. He was enjoying himself (sic)… You [Namibia] are better than we are,” she added.
During her stay in Namibia, Dağdelen met Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as well as National Assembly Speaker Peter Katjavivi.
On the day, she did not want to disclose details of her engagements, while noting that “the meetings were fruitful”.
“I am not here to interfere with internal affairs,” she emphasised.
Waiting
Her visit comes while the Namibian government waits for Germany’s response to their July 2022 letter to relook the widely rejected tentative genocide agreement.
The talks have seemingly hit a stalemate.
As things stand, Germany has only proffered 1.1 billion euros (N$18 billion) for developmental projects in seven identified regions as reparations for genocide.
This is while Namibia’s N$1.1 trillion demand takes into account loss of life, dispossession of land and displacement, amongst others.
“Hopefully, we will reach a figure which Germany is ready to give, and which Namibia is ready to accept. The government of the Republic of Namibia is waiting for a response from Germany on the proposed addendum. I am assuring Namibians that no agreement has been reached or signed with Germany yet,” Vice President Nangolo Mbumba, who spearheads genocide talks on behalf of government, said recently.
-emumumbuu@nepc.com.na
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