“APARTHEID WORSE THAN GENOCIDE, GEINGOB SAYS
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Jemima Beukes
21 SEPTEMBER 2023
President Hage Geingob said the apartheid regime of South Africa, which Swapo fought against, was ‘worse’ than the genocide committed by Germany against the Nama and Ovaherero ethnic groups.
He made the remarks at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, also known as Sciences Po.
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The president made these remarks in response to questions on the status of a draft joint declaration between Namibia and Germany, with the latter country pledging N$18 billion as reparations. The deal has been roundly rejected by affected communities.
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“Reconciliation of Germany and Namibia is there. We have diplomatic relations [with Germany], we have peace. This genocide happened how many years ago? Over a hundred years ago,” he told his audience.
“Then the South Africans took over – they were worse and then Swapo started to fight to free the country. After we freed the country, we now have the right to talk about genocide. Some people who talk about the time to reconcile were on South Africa’s side when we were fighting for freedom. Now all of a sudden, the demand is that they must negotiate [for] themselves. Go and convince Germany,” he said. (…)”
- Full report on the website of Erongo (checked in January 2024)