Following the Armenia debate, civil society and the opposition are calling for recognition of the genocide committed by the German “Schutztruppe” in 1904-08 in what is now Namibia. Herero and Nama leaders are expected in Berlin for the presentation of an appeal, public commemorations and discussion sessions.
Alliance “Genocide does not have a statute of limitations!”
Press release from 2.7.2015
After the Armenia debate: civil society and opposition demand recognition of the genocide committed by the German “Schutztruppe” in 1904-08 in what is now Namibia. Herero and Nama leaders expected in Berlin
100 years after the end of German colonial rule in today’s Namibia, a high-ranking Namibian delegation led by OvaHerero Paramount Chief Adv. Vekuii Rukoro and Member of Parliament and Nama representative Ida Hoffmann is expected in Berlin – the twin city of Windhoek (Namibia). On Monday, July 6, at 10 a.m., the Namibian guests will attend the handing over of the first signature lists for the appeal “Genocide is Genocide!” to the Federal President.
In their appeal of 9.6.2015, the alliance “Völkermord verjährt nicht!” and more than 150 prominent first signatories from science and politics, church and culture, black community and NGO Germany call for the 100th anniversary of the genocide to be commemorated. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the end of “German South-West Africa” on July 9, 2015, the genocide of the OvaHerero and Nama people was finally named. In addition, the signatories urge an official request for apology, for the return of the many human remains looted from Africa for racist research, and for the direct involvement of the OvaHerero and Nama in negotiations for appropriate reconciliation measures.
These demands – which were made by the current Foreign Minister Steinmeier himself in 2012 – have now also been reiterated by the opposition parties Die LINKE and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen in their current motions, which are available to the Alliance. In doing so, they are increasing the pressure on the German government, which in its response to a minor inquiry by Bündnis 90/Die Grünen on Germany’s colonial past had stated, among other things, that it has been engaged in a dialogue with the Namibian government since June 2014, which “for the first time also includes the search for a common attitude and a common language with regard to the cruel colonial war of 1904 to 1908” (BT Drucksache 18/5166). <http://dipbt.bundestag.de/doc/btd/18/051/1805166.pdf>
On July 7, 2015 at 5 p.m., representatives of civil society and Namibian victims’ associations will lay flowers at the shameful “Namibia Stone” – Berlin’s only memorial to the victims of German colonial rule – at the Garrison Cemetery on Columbiadamm in Neukölln. At 7 p.m., as guests of the “Genocide has no statute of limitations!” alliance, they will talk about the 1904-08 genocide and their ongoing struggle for “restorative justice” in a panel discussion at the Werkstatt der Kulturen.
Appeal, government response, etc.: http://genocide-namibia.net/ <http://genocide-namibia.net/>
Handing over of the appeal: 6.7.at 10 a.m., Office of the Federal President, Spreeweg 1, 10557 Berlin
Commemorative event: 7.7. at 5 p.m., Cemetery Columbiadamm 122, 10965 Berlin
Panel discussion: 7.7. at 7 p.m., Werkstatt der Kulturen, Wissmannstr. 32, 12049 Berlin
Contact: Bündnis “Völkermord verjährt nicht!”, 01799 100 976, buero[at]berlin-postkolonial.de <http://berlin-postkolonial.de/>