While the Namibian government were welcoming back another batch of genocide skulls from Germany last Friday, a large group whose ancestors were affected by the colonial slaughter held a silent protest in front of the Ovaherero Commando in Windhoek.
Young and old converged at the Commando dressed in traditional attire.
They held posters and had pieces of black cloths in their mouths, in protest over the fact they had been excluded with the process which saw the latest 35 skulls and skeletal remains returned.
The Ovaherero boycott of the activities surrounding the returning skulls followed the advice Ovaherero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako and former Swapo parliamentarian Ida Hoffman, who is the chairperson of the Nama Genocide Technical Committee.
Riruako and Hoffman were, however, not at the Commando this past Friday.
Major Erica Kandorozu said: “I understand that these are our skulls and they have returned back into the country. The Ovaherero and the Nama were the ones killed by the Germans. But I believe that government not approaching and consulting with the descendents of those killed during that war was outside the boundaries of the law.”
He added: “If only they had followed the same method followed during the return of the first skulls. I do not what the haste was all about?”
In October 2011, 20 skulls were repatriated from Germany, although it is suggested that originally about 300 skulls were in the custody of German researchers.
Kandorozu added that talk of there being other skulls, besides those of the Ovaherero and Nama, was not true.
Ingenesia Katataiza was furious at government and bemoaned the treatment being dished out to the effected tribes.
“With the first skulls we informed [the Germans] that they must prepare the remaining skulls and we will come get them. With the return of these skulls we wonder who had sent them [the delegation].”
“I think we must write to the German authority and inform them that we are on our way to get those skulls we asked you to prepare for us. I have tears in my eyes, I am crying, I am hurt. I do not know what to do next.”
Chief Alex Kavei of the Gam area said the only reason behind the boycott is that the communities want to know why government did not consult them over the return of the latest skulls.
“We do not have a problem about who went to fetch the skulls, but for us to be informed that a letter was received from Germany, which allowed them to come get the skulls.
“We might even say that government must find us another country where it will put us, because it does not want us.”
Riruako had earlier said the groups will boycott the return of the skulls until the State apologises for the alleged snubbing.
Young and old converged at the Commando dressed in traditional attire.
They held posters and had pieces of black cloths in their mouths, in protest over the fact they had been excluded with the process which saw the latest 35 skulls and skeletal remains returned.
The Ovaherero boycott of the activities surrounding the returning skulls followed the advice Ovaherero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako and former Swapo parliamentarian Ida Hoffman, who is the chairperson of the Nama Genocide Technical Committee.
Riruako and Hoffman were, however, not at the Commando this past Friday.
Major Erica Kandorozu said: “I understand that these are our skulls and they have returned back into the country. The Ovaherero and the Nama were the ones killed by the Germans. But I believe that government not approaching and consulting with the descendents of those killed during that war was outside the boundaries of the law.”
He added: “If only they had followed the same method followed during the return of the first skulls. I do not what the haste was all about?”
In October 2011, 20 skulls were repatriated from Germany, although it is suggested that originally about 300 skulls were in the custody of German researchers.
Kandorozu added that talk of there being other skulls, besides those of the Ovaherero and Nama, was not true.
Ingenesia Katataiza was furious at government and bemoaned the treatment being dished out to the effected tribes.
“With the first skulls we informed [the Germans] that they must prepare the remaining skulls and we will come get them. With the return of these skulls we wonder who had sent them [the delegation].”
“I think we must write to the German authority and inform them that we are on our way to get those skulls we asked you to prepare for us. I have tears in my eyes, I am crying, I am hurt. I do not know what to do next.”
Chief Alex Kavei of the Gam area said the only reason behind the boycott is that the communities want to know why government did not consult them over the return of the latest skulls.
“We do not have a problem about who went to fetch the skulls, but for us to be informed that a letter was received from Germany, which allowed them to come get the skulls.
“We might even say that government must find us another country where it will put us, because it does not want us.”
Riruako had earlier said the groups will boycott the return of the skulls until the State apologises for the alleged snubbing.
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