Namibia’s Cabinet has endorsed the decision to commemorate Genocide Day, which will be observed on 28 May each year, starting next year.
This announcement was made by the minister of information, Emma Theofelus, during the Cabinet briefing yesterday.
Cabinet directed the Ministry of Justice to draft a proclamation as required under Section 1(3) of the Public Holidays Act, 1990 (Act No. 26 of 1990), to be certified by the Attorney-General for consideration and signature by the President.
This will coincide with the public announcement of Genocide Remembrance Day on 28 May 2024, according to the ministry.
Cabinet also directed the education ministry to utilise the day as a unifying factor and to identify significant sites where monuments should be erected, in consultation with the Ministry of International Relations’ technical committee on genocide, apology, and reparations.
The genocide in Namibia refers to the systematic extermination of Herero, Nama and San people by the German army during the early 20th century, specifically between 1904 and 1908. This event is considered the first genocide of the 20th century and occurred during the period of German colonial rule in what was then known as German South West Africa, now Namibia.
In May 2021, after several years of negotiations, the German government formally recognised the atrocities committed by imperial forces between 1904 and 1908 as genocide. Germany offered an official apology and agreed to provide €1.1 billion (approximately N$18 billion) for funding development projects that benefit the affected communities, such as infrastructure, healthcare, and education. However, Namibia, through its genocide negotiation team, has approached Germany to reconsider the widely rejected tentative reparations agreement. Namibia’s initial demand for N$1.1 trillion in reparations remains unchanged.