During the negotiations of the deal, Germany did not want the term "reparations for war crimes" to be used, as it could open the door to individual claims.

Berlin did not want the term "reparations for war crimes" to be used, as this could open the door to a chain of individual claims.

  • Budwig_v_1337hoven [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    Why would money given to Herero/Nama directly flow out of the nation? Honestly asking, I know next to nothing about the situation (as you might have guessed)

      • Budwig_v_1337hoven [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Sure, but how does giving it to Namibia change that consideration? Do we know that a) the Herero/Nama wouldn't invest in infrastructure and other 'enduring ways' and b) that Namibia will indeed do so (and not just subsidise consumer goods from the global north, let's say)?

          • Budwig_v_1337hoven [he/him]
            ·
            4 years ago

            Yea, makes sense. I had hoped the Herero/Nama would be somewhat self-governing, as in, have the means in place to collectively invest in local infrastructure already - but that's probably a naive assumption of mine. I just know too little about the situation in Namibia, especially regarding these peoples' context within it. Still, the state picking representatives as opposed to them deciding on their own representatives really rubs me the wrong way with this whole thing.