Namibia has observed its first genocide remembrance day, honouring the estimated 75,000 victims who were massacred by soldiers or forced into concentration camps during German colonial rule. Between 1904 and 1908, an estimated 65,000 Herero people and 10,000 Nama people were killed when the groups rejected colonial rule. It amounted to 80% and 50% of their respective populations at the time.
Namibia’s president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, told a memorial event in the parliament’s gardens on Wednesday that the government would continue to push for reparations from Germany.
In 2021, Germany officially recognised the atrocities as a genocide and agreed to pay Namibia €1.1bn (then £940m) to fund development for the Herero and Nama. It said this was a gesture of “reconciliation”, but not compensation or reparations. Germany returned the skulls and other human remains to Namibia in 2011 and 2018. Descendants of genocide victims said this was not enough and called on the German government to negotiate with them directly. Last year, Namibia declared 28 May would be a genocide remembrance day and a public holiday. It was chosen as it was the day in 1907 when Germany decided to close its concentration camps after an international outcry.
Read more here.
