Namibians protest as MPs to debate on German 'colonial era' genocide deal

Germany in May had officially acknowledged committing genocide in South African nation Namibia during its Colonia era occupation, and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had vowed financial aid worth more than  $1.34bn [€1.1bn (£940m] as he had asked Namibians for “forgiveness” on behalf of Berlin. On Tuesday, as the ruling SWAPO Party of Namibia pushed for a joint agreement with Germany over its apology for genocide on Nama and Herero community, the Namibian parliament resumed a debate over the genocide deal with the opposition lawmakers, who mostly disregarded the deal.

This, however, on 21 September  has caused widespread protests and angst outside parliament with 400-strong Namibians, majorly opposition party supporters, chanting slogans against the ruling government this week. The on-ground reports suggested Tuesday that the Nambian demonstrators were collectively rejecting the deal as “insufficient” as they demanded more than just “an apology” and the financial compensation [$1.3bn] that Berlin was offering.

Placards held by the Namibians dissented the SWAPO and Germany labelling the deal as “fake” and asserting that the ancestors, a century ago, “did not shed blood in vain” as they dismissed Germany’s offer to pay $1bn without actually consulting the family lines of the victims. 

In the footages that emerged, infuriated demonstrates stormed the parliament building in the Namibian capital Windhoek amid the debates that were earlier suspended as Namibia battled a devastating surge of novel COVID-19 pandemic. National Assembly, however, agreed to Berlin's offer in May, after the German Foreign Minister’s acknowledgement that the EU country was responsible for the 1904 and 1908 genocide, as he promised to pay development aid spread over 30 years, according to the Namibian press reports. 

Namibian leader 'hails' apology, Germany says financial aid 'not reparation'

While Namibian President Hage Geingob hailed Berlin for an apology, labelling it "a step in the right direction", opposition lawmakers were angered about Germany’s remarks that any payment to Namibia should not be considered “reparations in a legal sense”, Berlin broadcaster DW reported, adding that Germany has “said explicitly.” This triggered Namibians who now believe that Germany does not want to take accountability for the actions of its military that wiped out the Herero and Nama community. 

Several activists and non-profits including the Council of Chiefs for Nama and Herero have questioned Geingob’s ruling party for going ahead with the deal and negotiating, a decision that they said excluded the impacted community members. Namibian Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, however, rejected those claims. Several protesters marched in a rally to hand over a petition to the Namibian parliament to halt the genocide agreement. "Deputy Speaker receives a petition opposing Germany's reparations offer," Parliament of the Republic of Namibia wrote on its official Facebook handle.

Controversy over 'Defence minister' tabling deal with a foreign country

The opposition also accused the Cabinet of failing procedurally and unilaterally tabling the joint genocide draft declaration by allowing the minister of defence and veterans affairs Frans Kapofi to bring the motion to the National Assembly (NA). Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani questioned why the Namibian government asked Kapofi, a defence minister, to bring a pact of a foreign country into the parliament. "This is a bilateral agreement between two foreign countries. Where does the minister of defence have the right to table something related to our foreign relations? Not the prime minister, not the deputy prime minister, but the minister of defence?" Venaani was quoted asking by the Namibian press as the controversy swelled.