Ova herero and Nama Genocide

'courtesy google photos' 

Germany started ruling South West Africa under the newly established German administration under Curt von Francois that was the newly German administrator. The first years of the German government occupation was not successful until after the introduction of the protection treaties. The Germans wanted the chiefs of the different ethnic group to sign voluntarily to German rule, however this was a success. (Asino et.al, 2020)

There were many further uprisings against the German rule as Germans tried to take land and cattle. The name reasons for the rebelliousness that later led to the war was colonial oppression, cattle confiscation as well as land confiscation.  The Herero people felt that they lost too much land to the Germans, they were not treated with proper respect and the traders would charge high prices they could not afford.

The Herero uprising under Samuel Maharero revolted against the Germans. The attack began on the 12 of January when remote farms were attacked and it is estimated that about 150 German settlers were killed. The war lasted until October 1907. The Herero people mostly died in the semi desert areas of Namibia due to hydration as water was scare, hunger and devastation. More than 80% of Herero and 75 % of the Nama died during the war.

After the war in October 1907, the Herero and Nama people were put into concentration camps, that had harsh living conditions and the death rate increased at Shark Island due to these harsh conditions, malnutrition, heavy chinned metal pieces around them. 

According to Dr. U  Muinjangue , deputy Minister of Health and social security  in an interview with DW NEWS , stated that they have not only fought for the recognition of the genocide with the German government , but they will continue to fight until Germany grants them reparations for the genocide.  The reparations were not yet accustomed to the Ova Herero and Nama people but it is yet to be accustomed.