Namibia rejects Germany’s offer of £9million in reparations

Namibia has turned down Germany’s £9 million offer of reparations for colonial massacres, stating that it needs to be ‘revised’.    

Namibia’s President Hage Geingob on Tuesday said reparations offered by Germany for mass killings in its then colony at the start of the twentieth century were ‘not acceptable’.

German occupiers in Namibia killed tens of thousands of indigenous Herero and Nama people in 1904-1908 massacres, which historians have called the first genocide of the 20th century.

In 2015, the two countries started negotiating an agreement that would combine an official apology by Germany as well as development aid.

Geingob on Tuesday was briefed by his government’s special envoy Zed Ngavirue on the status of negotiations.

The briefing took place ahead of a final round of talks for which a date has yet to be set.

‘The current offer for reparations made by the German government remains an outstanding issue and is not acceptable to the Namibian government,’ Geingob said in a statement after the briefing, adding that Ngavirue had been asked to ‘continue with negotiations for a revised offer’.

Germany has acknowledged that atrocities occurred at the hands of its colonial authorities and some officials have even recognised it as a genocide. Above, German soldiers pictured with captured indigenous people in chains in 1905 

The sum of money offered in reparations was £9 million (€10 million), according to a report in DW.  

The president also noted that Germany had declined to accept the term ‘reparations’, as that word was also avoided during the country’s negotiations with Israel after the Holocaust.

Ngavirue rejected Germany’s reference to reparations as ‘healing the wounds’ and said the terminology would be subject to further debate, according to the statement.

The president also noted that Germany had declined to accept the term ‘reparations’. Above, Hage Geingob pictured at a World Economic Forum session (File image) 

Namibia was called German South West Africa during Germany’s 1884-1915 rule. Above, a picture of Namibia during Germany’s colonial rule in 1913

Berlin was not immediately available for comment on the claims.

Germany has acknowledged that atrocities occurred at the hands of its colonial authorities and some officials have even recognised it as a genocide.

But the country has repeatedly refused to pay direct reparations, citing millions of euros in development aid to the Namibian government.

Namibia was called German South West Africa during Germany’s 1884-1915 rule, and then passed under South African rule for 75 years, finally gaining independence in 1990.

Herero captives pictured in chains during the 1904-1908 uprising. Their insurrection was crushed by German imperial troops 

Tensions boiled over in 1904 when the Herero rose up, followed by the Nama, in an insurrection crushed by German imperial troops.

In the Battle of Waterberg in August 1904, around 80,000 Herero fled including women and children.

German troops went after them across what is now known as the Kalahari Desert. Only 15,000 Herero survived.

The 20th Century’s first genocide: 

A depiction of the conflict between Herero fighters and German colonialists in 1904 

The mass killings of indigenous Herero and Nama people in 1904-1908 is what many historians say is the first genocide of the 20th Century. 

Namibia was called German South West Africa during Germany’s 1884-1915 rule.

Tensions boiled over in January 1904 when the Herero rose up, led by Samuel Maharero, followed by the Nama, led by Captain Hendrik Witbooi, in an insurrection crushed by German imperial troops. 

In the Battle of Waterberg in August 1904, around 80,000 Herero fled including women and children.

German troops went after them across what is now known as the Kalahari Desert. Historians say some 65,000 of the 80,000 Herero and at least 10,000 of the 20,000 Nama died. 

Those who weren’t killed in battle died from starvation and dehydration after being driven into the desert.

The conflict resulted in the deaths of about 75 percent of the Herero population. 

From 1884, Namibia was a German colony. Being the country’s only colony considered suitable for white settlement at the time, Namibia attracted a large influx of German settlers. 

In 1903 there were 3,700 Germans living in the area, and by 1910 their number had increased to 13,000. 

The settlers were encouraged by the government to expropriate land from the natives, and forced labour was used, resulting in deteriorating relations with the indigenous people. 

After the First World War, the League of Nations mandated South Africa to administer the territory.   

Namibia passed under South African rule for 75 years. 

The country finally gained independence in 1990.