Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –
German for the first time admitting to having done genocide in Namibia during the colonial occupation, and promised financial assistance.
The German government has promised to disburse funds worth €1.1 billion or around Rp19 trillion to help projects in the African country.
In the era of 1904-1908, German colonial settlers killed tens of thousands of Herero and Nama people. Historians call the tragedy the first genocide of the 20th century.
The incident has also damaged Namibia’s relations with Germany for years.
“We will now officially call these events as they are from today’s perspective: genocide,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said, citing AFP, Friday (28/5).
He praised the deal after more than five years of negotiations with Namibia over the genocide. Germany is known to have controlled Namibia from 1884 to 1915.
“Given Germany’s historical and moral responsibility, we will ask for forgiveness from Namibia and the descendants of the victims (of) the atrocities (perpetrated),” Maas said.
As a form of acknowledgment of the suffering that befell the victims, continued Maas, Germany will support reconstruction and development through financial programs.
According to one source, the aid will be paid for 30 years, mainly for the descendants of the Herero and Nama.
However, the payment did not pave the way for compensation legal requests.
Namibia was in Berlin’s hands from 1884-1915. After that, the country fell under South African rule for 75 years, before finally gaining independence in 1990.
Tensions peaked in 1904, when the landless Herero rose up against it. Soon after, Nama revolted against the colonial government. Unfortunately the match was ruined by the German team.
In the battle of Waterbag in August 1904, 80,000 Herero people fled and continued to be chased by German troops as far as the Kalahari Desert.
Of that number only 15 thousand survived.
The German military commander, Lothar von Trotha was deliberately sent to suppress the rebellion that occurred in Namibia. He ordered to destroy the people.
At least 60,000 Herero citizens and 10,000 Nama were killed between 1904 and 1908.
However, in August last year, Namibia said the reparations offered by Germany were unacceptable. No details of the offer were given at the time.
Namibian President Hage Geingob noted Germany rejected the term “reparations.” Because, the word was avoided during the state’s negotiations with Israel after the Holocaust.
In an effort to ease reconciliation, in 2018 Germany returned the bones of members of the Herero and Nama tribes.
Germany’s foreign minister at the time, Michelle Muentefering, apologized for the incident towards Namibia.
(isa/dea)
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