Damara to petition Germany over genocide
While Germany is struggling to keep up with calls to atone for the Nama and Ovaherero genocide during the early 1900s, the Damara people now also demand compensation for the lives lost during the German occupation of Namibia.
Although he could not comment on the official plans for the trip to Germany, Damara community leader and author Seth Boois confirmed that he will donate the proceeds of his new book titled 'Reflections on modern Damara history', to the cause.
Tsukhoe //Garoës, the royal advisor to the Damara king Chief Justus Garoëb, said the king is yet to pronounce himself on the issue and then the media will be informed.
“To say something now will be premature,” she said.
Government's genocide reparations envoy Zed Ngavirue yesterday said he is not aware of these plans, but noted that the Damara people are represented on the official genocide technical committee.
“Although they were not targeted directly, they were 'collateral damage' and government has recognised this and that is why they are included,” he said.
Genocide is defined as the “the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular nation or ethnic group,” which, in the case of the Ovaherero and Nama people, was done through an extermination order.
Ngavirue emphasised that the Damara people were not “singled out”.
It is not the first time the Damara claim to have been murdered en masse by German colonial forces.
In May 2016, the chief of the !Oe#Gan Traditional Authority, Immanuel /Gaseb, said it was not possible for German soldiers to distinguish between a Damara and an Ovaherero person.
“Damaras were also part of that genocide… there is no gun that is so smart that it can only kill Ovaherero people,” he said.
The Nama and Ovaherero traditional leaders have also repeatedly said tribes who were merely caught in the crossfire of the 1904 to 1908 genocide must demand reparations from the German government separately.
Ida Hofmann, chairperson of the Nama Genocide Technical Committee is currently out of the country on official business and could not comment.
JEMIMA BEUKES
Although he could not comment on the official plans for the trip to Germany, Damara community leader and author Seth Boois confirmed that he will donate the proceeds of his new book titled 'Reflections on modern Damara history', to the cause.
Tsukhoe //Garoës, the royal advisor to the Damara king Chief Justus Garoëb, said the king is yet to pronounce himself on the issue and then the media will be informed.
“To say something now will be premature,” she said.
Government's genocide reparations envoy Zed Ngavirue yesterday said he is not aware of these plans, but noted that the Damara people are represented on the official genocide technical committee.
“Although they were not targeted directly, they were 'collateral damage' and government has recognised this and that is why they are included,” he said.
Genocide is defined as the “the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular nation or ethnic group,” which, in the case of the Ovaherero and Nama people, was done through an extermination order.
Ngavirue emphasised that the Damara people were not “singled out”.
It is not the first time the Damara claim to have been murdered en masse by German colonial forces.
In May 2016, the chief of the !Oe#Gan Traditional Authority, Immanuel /Gaseb, said it was not possible for German soldiers to distinguish between a Damara and an Ovaherero person.
“Damaras were also part of that genocide… there is no gun that is so smart that it can only kill Ovaherero people,” he said.
The Nama and Ovaherero traditional leaders have also repeatedly said tribes who were merely caught in the crossfire of the 1904 to 1908 genocide must demand reparations from the German government separately.
Ida Hofmann, chairperson of the Nama Genocide Technical Committee is currently out of the country on official business and could not comment.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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