Dialogue / Media Reports

Parliament proposes ‘genocide remembrance day’ – Namibian 28-04-2016

“Parliament proposes ‘genocide remembrance day’

By The Namibian
28 April 2016

THE motion to enact a genocide remembrance day was well received in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

[…]

Swanu of Namibia president Usutuaije Maamberua on Tuesday tabled the motion for a genocide remembrance day to be introduced in parliament, which saw members of both ruling and opposition parties in agreement.

He said the purpose of the motion was for parliament to discuss, debate and, through a standing committee of parliament, consult the affected communities and relevant authorities to determine and bring about the enactment or declaration of the memorial day.

[…]

He proposed that 28 May should be declared as Genocide Remembrance Day, as it was on that day that the official and formal closure to the Ovaherero and Nama genocide episode was reached when all concentration camps in Namibia were ordered to close in 1908.

DTA of Namibia president McHenry Venaani, who was one of the members to make his contribution to the debate, said the genocide issue is a Namibian issue, and many Namibians are direct descendants of the genocide.

He also emphasised the importance of a memorial day as it would benefit those affected. The DTA parliamentarian, however, disagreed with the date suggested by Maamberua, proposing that the day be 2 October.

Other MPs agreed that the remembrance day would give meaning to history.

Attorney general Sacky Shanghala said the memorial day would remove the tribal element from the genocide issue, which he said has become a ‘Nama and Herero’ issue.

[…]

Swapo secretary general Nangolo Mbumba said Namibians need to embrace one another.

“Today, we have learned one thing: whatever conflict we have amongst ourselves cannot be compared to the conflict we endured during colonisation. One of the things we must learn as we study history is to get out of darkness and into the light. If the purpose is just to create an opportunity to fight each other, it will never work,” Mbumba said.”