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FEATURE: Joint Ecumenical Memorial Service for Namibia's


From "Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>
Date Tue, 09 Mar 2004 11:24:48 -0600

Joint Ecumenical Memorial Service for Namibia's Divisive Past 
Lutheran Bishops Recall Bloodshed, Violent Quashing of Herero
Uprising a Century Ago 

WINDHOEK, Namibia/GENEVA, 9 March 2004 (LWI) * "It is indeed
God's miracle that today we are looking back together at the
terrible things that happened a century ago, as we join hands and
face the future as sisters and brothers." These were the words of
Bishop Dr Zephania Kameeta, leader of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN) at an ecumenical
memorial service recalling one of the most difficult years in
Namibia's history.

In 1904, the territory then called German South West Africa
(today Namibia), had been a German colony for almost 20 years.
Since colonization began in 1884 the Herero people, in
particular, had lost not only most of their valuable pastoral
land through fraudulent purchases, tax collection and the
building of a railway, but also through sales to German settlers
by chiefs concerned only with profit. Consequently, on 12 January
1904, the Herero declared war on the German colonialists. But
their resistance lasted only a few months. They were defeated by
German defense troops at the decisive battle of Waterberg, 11
August 1904.

The majority of the estimated 60,000 Herero lost their lives
either fighting in the war or trying to escape. Survivors were
detained in concentration camps where thousands died of hunger or
disease. Land that had until then been owned by the Herero became
nationalized, and was assigned to German settlers or former
defense-force soldiers. The campaign saw the annihilation of an
estimated 10,000 members of the Nama and 17,000 Damara peoples.

The year 1904 is a crucial date in Namibian history. Yet, since
the country's independence in 1990, its historical events have
never been commemorated nationally and jointly by the former
colonial power and Herero people. While the approximately 200,000
Herero-speaking Namibians now live peacefully alongside their
German-speaking fellow citizens who number almost 20,000, so far
the two groups have held their own separate commemorations, often
without informing each other. This was in the context of their
own cultures, with their differing understandings of history and
their respective backgrounds as descendants either of winners or
losers in the war. But this year, they intend to officially
commemorate their divided past together for the first time,
particularly as the consequences in many ways are still visible,
and painful. Decisions taken a century ago are today, above all,
reflected in the unequal distribution of land ownership in the
country.

In 2003, a Namibian initiative was put forward with the aim of
entering into conversation about the possible setting up of a
joint public commemoration. The German-speaking Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN-DELK) headed by Bishop Reinhard
Keding, took the first step. "The church took this initiative,"
Keding said, "because dealing with the past has always provoked
strong feelings on both sides, and the church can play the role
of mediator."

Herero-speaking ELCRN Bishop Kameeta took up this initiative and
agreed to moderate a national planning committee for the
commemoration ceremony. "Our goal is not to cast off the burden
of history on the arduous path of reconciliation, but to look at
it and use it as a pointer for a better common future," said
Kameeta, who since July 2003 also is LWF vice-president for the
Africa region. "We do not want to bring to light historical facts
in order to open new wounds in people's hearts. If we talk about
the atrocities of the past it is only to get to know each other
better, to tell each other our stories, privately and in public,
and to find common ways of learning from the past." 

Discussion on the commemoration is not just engendering
conciliatory statements but also great tension. In parallel to
the "Bishops' Committee" a "Genocide Committee" has been
founded, headed by Herero leader Kuaima Riruako, and consisting
exclusively of Herero members. In this centennial year Riruako
expects the Federal Republic of Germany to apologize and make
reparation for the genocide committed.

Berlin's Ambassador to Namibia, Dr Wolfgang Massing, endorsed
Germany's previous stance. The federal government regretted past
wrongdoings, and was confronting its moral responsibility for
their common history, he said in a January 11 address. On this
basis, it was enacting special relations with Namibia, in the
form of EUR 500 million in official development assistance since
independence in 1990 * the highest per capita amount of all
Germany's aid packages to African countries. But paying
compensation to a certain population group in Namibia would send
a wrong signal, according to Massing.

"In principle I support Germany's attitude," said Keding,
"particularly because reparation payments to only one population
group in Namibia could create great tension. I would wish,
however, that the federal government could exert greater
influence to ensure that aid is channeled to Herero home areas in
the coming years."

The January 11 ecumenical memorial service held in Windhoek, and
conducted jointly by Kameeta and Keding, was attended by 400
women and men representing all population groups in Namibia. The
two bishops preached together on Psalm 103. Parts of the psalm
were quoted in 1973 by Willy Brandt, the first German chancellor
to set foot on Israeli soil, during his visit to Yad Vashem, the
memorial for victims of the Holocaust: "The Lord is merciful and
gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will
not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does
not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to
our iniquities" (Psalm 103:8-10, NRSV).

In his sermon, Keding stressed it was possible to jointly
remember a most painful past without opening new wounds if one
trusted in the guidance of a loving and forgiving God. "Because I
know that there is a God who is ready to forgive, I can be
prepared to admit my failures. Because I trust in this loving
principle of God I am free to ask for forgiveness." The
ELCIN-DELK bishop described the service as "an encouraging
beginning." But it remains to be seen "how the signals sent today
will be received and reinforced at other events in the course of
this year," he added.* (1,030 words)

(By Windhoek-based LWI correspondent Erika von Wietersheim.)

The sermons by Kameeta and Keding can be accessed in German and
English at: http://www.chrina.org/1904/opening_2004_01b.html 

*This article is part of the ongoing LWI Features on Healing
under the LWF Tenth Assembly theme, "For the Healing of the
World."

[The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing 62.3 million
of the almost 66 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical and inter-faith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)
 
[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information
service. Unless specifically noted, material presented does not
represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various
units. Where the dateline of an article contains the notation
(LWI), the material may be freely reproduced with
acknowledgment.]

*    *	   *

LWI online at: http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Welcome.EN.html 

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