Namibian tribes petition UN over genocide deal with Germany

WINDHOEK, Namibia

A group of Namibian Ovaherero and Nama tribes on Thursday petitioned the United Nations (UN) to intervene over what they called an “unfair and botched” deal struck by the Germany and Namibian governments on the genocide between 1904 and 1908.

The petition is being spearheaded by politician Kazenambo Kazenambo together with other members of the affected groups.

Speaking to the media, Kazenambo said the current agreement which seeks to compensate Namibia with 1.3 billion U.S. dollars and a public apology is a blatant disregard of the human rights of the Namibian people and undermines the lives of the people who were killed.

"The current agreement will not bring closure or restorative justice to the affected communities. The hide and seek being displayed by the German government has potential to cause civil strive and killed mutual trust among the affected communities,” Kazenambo said.

Kazenambo said the deal shows the “patronizing” nature of the German government in dealing with the issue of genocide.

He said they are calling for the UN to order the German government to find an agreeable solution.

Kazenambo said the failure to find a long-lasting acceptable solution by the German government is pushing Namibian affected communities to the brink.

He said the deal fails to address the loss of ancestral land lost by the Ovaherero and Nama people.

"Germany, instead of facing and engaging the descendants of the genocide, has chosen to work with the government in gross violation of the UN charter on human rights,” he said.