“VP urges forgiveness for genocide pain

[17 April 2025; ed.]

Ester Mbathera

Vice President Lucia Witbooi has called on the nation to embrace forgiveness as a path to healing and unity in the aftermath of the 1904–1908 Nama and Herero genocide.

She made the remarks on Tuesday during the high-level panel hosted by Open Society Foundations and Action Coalition-Namibia on the topic: Women’s leadership and the reparations agenda – past, present and future prospects for acknowledgement, solidarity and justice.

“I believe when we forgive each other, then we will get even. We’ll close this chapter of genocide, and we will benefit much more from Germany,” she said.

[…]

On Monday, Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus spoke on the same issue during a high-level panel hosted by Open Society Foundations and Action Coalition-Namibia in Windhoek.

[…]

She said Witbooi has been assigned to continue the consultations.

Theofelus pointed to some progress, saying Germany has since 2023 recognised that the atrocities committed between 1904 and 1908 were genocides.

“[…] three things that we advocated for, which is the recognition that it was genocide. Second, that an apology be issued to the affected communities and lastly, that reparations be paid,” she said.”

• Full report “VP urges forgiveness for genocide pain” on the website of the Windhoek Observer (last checked in April 2025)

• See also the announcements of the panel discussions “Women’s Leadership and the Reparations Agenda” on 15 April 2025 from 19:00 to 22:00 and “The Promise of Participation – A Conversation with Young and Traditional Leaders” on 14 April 2025 from 9:00 to 13:30. Both events were part of OSF’s Africa tour, Namibia chapter ‘The Land of the Brave’ from 13 to 16 April 2025