Petition "Genocide is Genocide"

Press Release 9/6/2015

The German political establishment urged Turkey to acknowledge the
Armenian genocide. Now, numerous public figures also call for an
official recognition of and an apology for Germany's genocide
perpetrated against the OvaHerero and Nama of Namibia between 1904-08.

More than 150 public figures, among them many prominent professors of
international law, politics and history; representatives of political
parties and of the churches, from arts and culture, the Black community
and NGOs, have gone public with a petition entitled /Genocide is
Genocide!/ The petition has been initiated to mark the centenary of the
end of German colonial rule on 9 July 2015, in former German South-West
Africa, present-day Namibia.

Among the notable signatories are the former Minister of Development
Wiezorek-Zeul; the long-time Mayor of Bremen, Scherf (both Social
Democratic Party); the Ambassadors (ret.) Vergau and Schleicher; the
peace researcher Senghaas and the regional specialist Kappel; MPs
Wagenknecht (The LEFT) and Diaby (SPD); Brandenburgs former
Commissioner for Foreigners, Berger; and the chairperson of the
Central Council of the African Community in Germany, Kamara.

The signatories call on the German President, the Bundestag and the
German Government to

- finally acknowledge the genocide against the OvaHerero and Nama;

- to formally ask the descendants of the victims of genocide for forgiveness;

- and to identify and repatriate all of the human remains deported to
Germany as well as participate in an unconditional open dialogue with
the descendants of the victims of genocide and the Namibian government
vis-à-vis reconciliation.

Up to 80% of the OvaHerero, 50% of the Nama and many Damara and San were victims of what was the first genocide of the 20^th century. Despite the
clear intention to exterminate these Namibian peoples, the German
political establishment has failed to officially recognize the genocide
and apologize to the descendants of those who were deprived, robbed and
killed.

Prior to assuming his present function, the current Foreign Minister
Steinmeier (SPD) urged the Federal Government to take such a step.

Download the petition.

Online signatures to the appeal can be registered here.


Contact:
Alliance "No Amnesty on Genocide!“
01799 100 976
buero@berlin-postkolonial.de

More: www.genocide-namibia.net