Genocide descendants to march on Küska
The descendants of the survivors of the 1904 - 1908 genocide held a meeting to voice their concerns on several issues affecting their community at the coast.
At the meeting, activist and representative of the group Laidlaw Peringanda said they would hold a peaceful demonstration when Swakopmund's annual German carnival known as the Küska starts.
“The Küska will officially start on 15 June this year. That day we will confront them at the Küska with chains on our bodies as we hold a peaceful demonstration. That's when they will take us seriously.
“It will be a peaceful demonstration and there will be no violence. All the measures of the law will be taken into consideration,” said Peringanda.
He also expressed his dismay at the various monuments which were erected in the Swakopmund area which disregard Germans atrocities in Namibia.
“There is a monument at the genocide cemetery, erected by the government, which has incorrect wording on it. On the monument is written: 'People died under mysterious circumstances.' It is a very big insult for this monument to stand there,” he said.
The activist further expressed his desire for the Swakopmund municipality to disclose the list of names of the people who were buried in the genocide cemetery as well as their birth certificates.
According to another representative of the group, Lourens Ndura, Germans should provide the descendants of the survivors of the 1904-1908 genocide with land and housing.
“Most of the descendants are suffering while the children of the Germans are thriving. There are houses built on the graves of the Ovaherero people. They are trying to hide the atrocities which were committed by their ancestors.
“We are requesting the Swakopmund municipality to provide 50 000 erven and for the Germans to build 10 000 houses. Our elders are staying with us here in the ghettos. They must go and also live with the Germans in the old-age homes instead of living with us here in burning ghettos,” said Ndura.
The group has demanded an answer from the Küska organisers, as well as the Swakopmund municipality, before 2 October, the date Peringanda says Lothar von Trotha issued the extermination order of the Ovaherero and Nama people.
The German community as well as the police were invited to the meeting, but neither made an appearance.
ADOLF KAURE
At the meeting, activist and representative of the group Laidlaw Peringanda said they would hold a peaceful demonstration when Swakopmund's annual German carnival known as the Küska starts.
“The Küska will officially start on 15 June this year. That day we will confront them at the Küska with chains on our bodies as we hold a peaceful demonstration. That's when they will take us seriously.
“It will be a peaceful demonstration and there will be no violence. All the measures of the law will be taken into consideration,” said Peringanda.
He also expressed his dismay at the various monuments which were erected in the Swakopmund area which disregard Germans atrocities in Namibia.
“There is a monument at the genocide cemetery, erected by the government, which has incorrect wording on it. On the monument is written: 'People died under mysterious circumstances.' It is a very big insult for this monument to stand there,” he said.
The activist further expressed his desire for the Swakopmund municipality to disclose the list of names of the people who were buried in the genocide cemetery as well as their birth certificates.
According to another representative of the group, Lourens Ndura, Germans should provide the descendants of the survivors of the 1904-1908 genocide with land and housing.
“Most of the descendants are suffering while the children of the Germans are thriving. There are houses built on the graves of the Ovaherero people. They are trying to hide the atrocities which were committed by their ancestors.
“We are requesting the Swakopmund municipality to provide 50 000 erven and for the Germans to build 10 000 houses. Our elders are staying with us here in the ghettos. They must go and also live with the Germans in the old-age homes instead of living with us here in burning ghettos,” said Ndura.
The group has demanded an answer from the Küska organisers, as well as the Swakopmund municipality, before 2 October, the date Peringanda says Lothar von Trotha issued the extermination order of the Ovaherero and Nama people.
The German community as well as the police were invited to the meeting, but neither made an appearance.
ADOLF KAURE
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