Genocide reparations to benefit youth descendants and others.
Following 15 years of back-and-forth in negotiations with the German government for the payment of the genocide that took place more than a century ago, the descendants and community activists hope that their wished-for amount of N$1.3 trillion will benefit the youth.
Jemimah Ndebele
The continual tussle between the German government and descendants of the four-year genocide that took place in Namibia over a 100 years ago has resulted in dissatisfaction among the OvaHerero, OvaMbanderu and Nama people with the German government’s proposed N$19 billion reparations.
The group demands N$1.3 trillion, as the amount allegedly reflects the price of pain as calculated on international genocide calculation model.
According to a community activist and descendant of genocide victims, David Kaiko, there is no formal mention of education in the draft declaration between the two countries but the youth need to be educated and the hoped for N$1.3 trillion will be sectioned to cater to their educational needs as well as the funding of progressive programmes initiated by the youth.
“The youth need to sensitised and educated on their history and the importance of standing up for their ancestors. We hope to roll out programmes that can do so in the regions where the victims the mass genocide predominantly resided. This includes the Erongo, Khomas, Kunene, Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, //Karas and Hardap regions. Whether the youth choose to hop onto the bandwagon is their own choice,” said Kaiko.
He went on to add that there has been a misconception regarding the use of the anticipated reparations and the groups of people it ought to benefit, stating that the funds will be used for the development and improvement of facilities and structures in the affected regions.
“This will be to the benefit of everyone living in the region and not just the descendants. We are not saying roads will be built for the use of the OvaHerero and Nama people, no. Naturally, there will be positions that will require constructive discrimination that will give preference to the descendants as the funds are directed to benefit them.”
The negotiators on this historically sensitive matter range from community to government level and are currently doing so without a presidentially elected envoy spearheading the matter.
The continual tussle between the German government and descendants of the four-year genocide that took place in Namibia over a 100 years ago has resulted in dissatisfaction among the OvaHerero, OvaMbanderu and Nama people with the German government’s proposed N$19 billion reparations.
The group demands N$1.3 trillion, as the amount allegedly reflects the price of pain as calculated on international genocide calculation model.
According to a community activist and descendant of genocide victims, David Kaiko, there is no formal mention of education in the draft declaration between the two countries but the youth need to be educated and the hoped for N$1.3 trillion will be sectioned to cater to their educational needs as well as the funding of progressive programmes initiated by the youth.
“The youth need to sensitised and educated on their history and the importance of standing up for their ancestors. We hope to roll out programmes that can do so in the regions where the victims the mass genocide predominantly resided. This includes the Erongo, Khomas, Kunene, Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, //Karas and Hardap regions. Whether the youth choose to hop onto the bandwagon is their own choice,” said Kaiko.
He went on to add that there has been a misconception regarding the use of the anticipated reparations and the groups of people it ought to benefit, stating that the funds will be used for the development and improvement of facilities and structures in the affected regions.
“This will be to the benefit of everyone living in the region and not just the descendants. We are not saying roads will be built for the use of the OvaHerero and Nama people, no. Naturally, there will be positions that will require constructive discrimination that will give preference to the descendants as the funds are directed to benefit them.”
The negotiators on this historically sensitive matter range from community to government level and are currently doing so without a presidentially elected envoy spearheading the matter.
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