The “joint declaration” between Germany and Namibia

Today, the extended deadline expires according to which the German Federal Government must issue a statement on the so-called “joint declaration” with Namibia. The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has organized a human rights campaign in front of the Foreign Office in Berlin to draw attention to the demands of the victims. “Direct negotiations with official organizations of the Herero and the Nama, a binding acknowledgement of the genocide crimes, and real reparations – that is what the victims’ associations demanded right from the very beginning,” recalled Roman Kühn, the STP’s Director, on the sidelines of the event in Berlin. “While still on the opposition bench, the Green Party had supported these demands. Now that they are part of the government, they have the opportunity and the duty to do better.”

On February 23, seven UN Special Rapporteurs had sent a letter to the German Federal Government and the government of Namibia. Essentially, it contains the points of criticism that the victims’ associations and the STP have been trying to draw attention to since the “joint declaration” was signed. “At the latest since the report was published, the German Federal Government can no longer pretend that the issue has been settled. With its answer – if it is published today – the Foreign Office must prove that it takes the concerns regarding compatibility with international law seriously, and it will have to actually address these issues,” Kühn added. “Today, we are standing here to remind Annalena Baerbock of her responsibility for the descendants of the victims. The only way to bring about a real reconciliation process and to ensure that old wounds can heal is to negotiate an agreement that focuses on the concerns of those affected.

In the period between 1904 and 1908, the German Empire committed the first genocide of the 20th century. At least 65,000 Herero and 10,000 Nama were killed – around 80 percent of the Herero and 50 percent of the Nama living in Namibia back then.

Photos of the protests in front of the Foreign Office can be found in the attachment.