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Ovaherero Genocide Foundation

Namibian Parliament Motion on Genocide, 2006

On the 26th of September 2006, Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako tabled a motion the Namibian National Assembly which was unanimously adopted as a resolution by the august Legislative House. The resolution outlined four principles that formed the basis/mandate for any negotiations and final agreements/settlement with the German regime on the genocide of our People:

1. That what happened to the Nama and Ovaherero during the 1904-1908 was a brutal act of Genocide sanctioned by the German Government of the day;
2. That the Nama and Ovaherero people are entitled to demand reparations from the German government;
3. That the Namibian government should be an interested party in any discussions between its
nationals and the German Government on the issue of reparations;
4. That dialogue be convened between, on one hand, the Namibian Government and representatives of the victim communities, and on the other hand the German Government, to try and resolve this matter amicably and thereby strength and solidify the excellent relationship between the two countries, Germany and Namibia.

This resolution was subsequently enhanced by Namibia’s Minister of Foreign Relations, Utoni Nujoma, when he made a Policy Statement in Parliament on 19th September 2011. Nujoma assured the nation that the Government of Namibia will not do anything that was not in the best interest of the Genocide victim communities and that the Government would be eager to play a facilitating role in the anticipated negotiations.