Namibia asks Germany to revisit genocide reparation offer.

WINDHOEK, June 7– Namibia has formally asked the German government to revisit the reparation package of 1.1 billion euros (about 1.3 billion U.S. dollars) for the genocide committed between 1904 and 1908, Vice President Nangolo Mbumba said on Friday.
Mbumba, who was addressing Namibians for the first time since reaching a deal with Germany over the genocide, said the president of Germany will soon deliver a formal public apology in the Namibian parliament on the atrocities committed against the Nama and Ovaherero people during the 1904-1908 genocide.
“The German government has agreed to offer a public apology to both the affected communities and the Namibian population on a date to be announced,” he said. “The apology will be made in the Namibian parliament at a time agreed by the two governments.”
“No amount of money is ever enough to compensate the loss of life. However we must understand that the two governments went through long negotiations,” Mbumba said, adding that Nambia has formally asked the German government to reconsider the offer.
“As we go ahead, this is an ongoing process,” he said.
Mbumba said the Germans will not only contribute developmental assistance to the Namibians through the pledged 1.3 billion U.S. dollars but will also cater for the affected communities.
The two governments have also agreed on the implementation of a reconciliation program to heal the affected communities as well as to bridge the gap between the two countries, he said.
According to Mbumba, the Namibian government will also submit the last agreed settlement to parliament for scrutiny. Xinhua