Thread by @BBCAfrica

Viewpoint: Why Germany's Namibia genocide apology is not enough

A THREAD

Germany has described last century’s mass murder in Namibia as a genocide and has issued a long-awaited apology, but this admission has opened fresh questions about how Europe confronts its colonial past in Africa, argues Emsie Erastus, a Namibian analyst.

There was also the promise of development aid worth more than €1.1bn (£940m; $1.34bn), but no reparations were mentioned by Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, which is one of the key demands for the groups affected.

German colonisers killed tens of thousands of Ovaherero and Nama people in Namibia between 1904 and 1908. This amounted to some 80% of the Herero and over 40% of the Nama. Their land and livestock were also confiscated.

Germany's announcement has been roundly rejected by most of the traditional chiefs, including those who are thought to be supportive of the Namibian negotiators, for falling short of expectations.

Germany made it clear that it is willing to atone for its colonial crimes "without sparing or glossing over them", but some argue that development aid maintains the unequal relationship created by colonialism.

The ex-colonial powers need to come to terms with the origins of a racialised view of the world, placing Western authorities at the top and Africans at the bottom, writes Emsie Erastus.

Full story ⬇️
bbc.co.uk/news/world-afr…