Namibia: Whites could be killed

News24 (SA) ^ | January 12, 2004

[Clive]

Berlin - A high-ranking representative of the Herero tribe in Namibia said there could be a Zimbabwe-style backlash against ethnic German whites if Berlin refuses to pay reparations.

"Don't forget, our young generation does not have the angelic patience of the elders," Mburumba Kernina, an advisor to Herero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako, told Berlin daily, Der Tagesspiegel.

"If there is not agreement (on reparations), they will probably take matters into their own hands. What happened in Zimbabwe can easily repeat itself here," referring to the eviction of white farmers - sometimes violently - orchestrated by President Robert Mugabe in the name of land reform.

Germany's ambassador to Namibia, Wolfgang Massing, at a ceremony on Sunday expressed "regret" over the ruthless quelling of a Herero tribe uprising 100 years ago in which tens of thousands were killed by German troops.

His statement is the closest a German government representative has come to an apology - a demand repeatedly made by the Herero - for what historians have described as a genocide. But he stopped short of offering reparations.

The Herero have filed a lawsuit in the United States demanding payment from the German government and companies which allegedly benefited from German rule.

"The future of this country - reconciliation, development and security - depends on the outcome of the suit against Germany," Kerina said.

Namibia has a population of 1.82 million people, of whom about 25,000 people are German-speaking whites, most of them descendants of colonists.

Since 1990, Germany, Namibia's largest donor, has pumped $644m into the southern African country.

[Clive]

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[ClintonBeGone]

"If there is not agreement (on reparations), they will probably take matters into their own hands. What happened in Zimbabwe can easily repeat itself here," referring to the eviction of white farmers - sometimes violently - orchestrated by President Robert Mugabe in the name of land reform.

Where is Hollywood's outrage for the plight of the farmer here?

[LN2Campy]

This does sound like a shakedown, but, for what it's worth, the Kaiser's troops in what was then (circa 1904) "German South-West Africa" unquestionably conducted a brutal campaign against the Stone Age Herero.

Modern Germany has probably already funnelled plenty of money there already, but some people can't get enough.

I'm surprised there are that many Germans still there, actually.

[HarleyD]

Sounds like Jesse Jackson has been teaching them.

[junta]

Of course "white guilt" is the coin of the realm and the German "elite" will no doubt spend a great deal of coin, but to no good end. If we in the West had real leaders they would send the Namibians the bill for establishing civilization and if the Namibians don't thank us the next time one of their leaders gets the clap there won't be any antibiotics.

[gunnedah]

Where is the UN? I guess they are still in Kosovo waiting on Wes Clark to be elected so they can go back to killing innocent civilians.

I am Gunnedah and I approved this message.

[goodnesswins]

"The Herero have filed a lawsuit in the United States demanding payment from the German government and companies which allegedly benefited from German rule."

What the he**.....is the US the place to go for lawsuits, even if it did NOT happen in the US or with any US participation?

[TrueBeliever9]

Where is the UN?

The UN is run by Muslims. The UN stood by and watched Qaddahi go into Zimbawee with trunks of money and pay Mugabe to kill or confiscate white farm land - Mugabe then gave the land to Muslim Libyans (paid by Qaddahi). Qaddahi means to the Emperor of Africa. Where is the UN?

[Bringbackthedraft]

Kick out the German farmers and starve like Zimbabwe? 25K Germans? The Germans went to war over the shooting of one Duke and later they started a war over a staged attack on a radio station. And these guys want to do what? Quick, we need a negotiator here, someone call Jessie Jackson.

[expatguy]

Jesse Jackson would be so proud.

[quadrant]

The best course of action for the German government is to pull the 25,000 white people out of Namabia and wash its hands of the whole mess.

[Billthedrill]

My question as well. What weirdness is this? We are a signator to the World Court but not to the ICC (not that criminal charges are being brought here inasmuch as the alleged perps are long dead).

It is a little ironic given the amount of ink that the Europeans in general have spilled convincing themselves that they're good international citizens and the United States is not. But the Africans remember. The U.S. has never had a colony in Africa (and no, Liberia doesn't count) and the Europeans have a miles-long record written in blood. Time to remind the pious in Paris and Brussels that they still have some heavy dues to pay, especially the Belgians.

That aside, anyone who makes this open a threat against non-violent and non-offending farmers is a punk, and you can quote me.

[westerfield]

Since 1990, Germany, Namibia's largest donor, has pumped $644m into the southern African country.

Looks to me like Germany has already paid reparations. This is just crass extortion.

[xJones]

What happened in Zimbabwe can easily repeat itself here," referring to the eviction of white farmers - sometimes violently - orchestrated by President Robert Mugabe in the name of land reform.

They really want to achieve Zimbabwe standards of living?! Half of Zimbabweans are starving, begging for U.S. and European food hand-outs and they want that? No fuel, no seed, no nothing.....stupidity compounded by idiocy. "Pay us, or we will starve our people to death! Then you'll feel bad,..... right,.... you will....."

[Poodlebrain]

Wow, Germany is now on its fourth different government since the crimes were committed. The Kaiser has been dead for ages, the Weimar Republic is no more, the Third Reich is history and now these guys step forward with demands for reparations, or they will be unable to prevent retaliatory crimes against humanity. The complete and utter lack of fear of being held accountable for his statements by Mr. Mburumba Kernina is evidence of the contempt many governments have for international law, or more importantly for its enforcement. I'm just stunned by his blatancy.

[Mr. Jeeves]

If we in the West had real leaders they would send the Namibians the bill for establishing civilization and if the Namibians don't thank us the next time one of their leaders gets the clap there won't be any antibiotics.

I would LOVE to see someone take that line! Unfortunately, Silvio Berlusconi is probably the only Western leader with the balls to say something like that.

[jtminton]

Since 1990, Germany, Namibia's largest donor, has pumped $644m into the southern African country.

Apparently they haven't heard the story about the Golden Goose there.

[junta]

Of course what I said was but fantasy, in reality we get the most radical nation destroying plan ever devised instead (Bush shamnesty), and in a few years we Americans will be the like those productive farmers.

[Sam Cree]

The trouble with extortion is that once it has been shown to produce results, it continues.