Namibia: Heritage Council Tasked to Request for 'Skulls'
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New Era (Windhoek)
2 October 2008
Posted to the web 2 October 2008
Kuvee Kangueehi
Windhoek
Cabinet has instructed the National Heritage Council of Namibia to make an official request to the German government for the repatriation of the remains of 47 Namibians that are in a German museum.
Cabinet took the decision at its meeting on Tuesday after Prime Minister Nahas Angula tabled a letter written by two traditional leaders Chief Kuaima Riruako and Chief Dawid Fredericks representing the Ovaherero and !Aman clan, respectively.
Speaking to New Era yesterday, Angula said the entire Cabinet overwhelmingly supported the request and directed that the National Heritage Council through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs approach the German government.
Angula said the German government will also be expected to provide information regarding the origin of the remains in order for the National Heritage Council to identify the remains and accord them a proper burial.
Angula could not speculate on how long the process will take and said everything will depend on how fast Germany would respond to the request.
Riruako expressed appreciation to the Namibian Go-vernment for finally agreeing to request the remains of Namibians and said the two communities look forward to the completion of the process.
According to historical records, after the 1904 Herero uprising against colonial Germany, which was followed by the Nama uprising in October 1905, men, women and children of these two language groups were rounded up and dumped in prison camps, the most notorious being those at Swakopmund and on Shark Island at Leverets, where thousands perished due to harsh weather and malnourishment.
About 50 skulls of dead prisoners from Shark Island were sent to German scientific institutes for measurements and tests in order to "prove the superiority of the white race".
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Officials from the German Embassy in Windhoek have said a formal request would have to come from the Namibian Government to Berlin before the remains could be repatriated.
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