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Mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo says the about N$18,4 billion German development aid offer to compensate for the 1904-08 genocide is not enough and that the former colonial power can offer more.
“We believe that although one can never fully compensate for lives lost, an amount of 1,1 billion euro is woefully too insignificant and not commensurate with the act of genocide that was committed,” Alweendo said in the National Assembly yesterday.
“We are of the view that Germany can offer more. We think that Germany treated us with disdain in this respect,” Alweendo added, while saying that rejecting the offer may not put Namibians in a better position to reach a better deal.
He said it makes better sense for Namibia to re-engage Germany to reconsider its position on the quantum to be paid.
“While taking the re-engagement route, let us do so pragmatically and with the awareness that, at times, the promise of less is preferable to the possibility of more,” he said.
Alweendo added that the genocide debate had become divisive.
“We call each other names, we refer to each other as puppets and sell-outs. I am afraid that should we continue with this path, then the legacy left by the divide-and-rule philosophy will continue to flourish,” he said.
The minister added that Namibians should create strong alliances beyond tribal boundaries.
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