Windhoek: The newly established Genocide Reparations Advocacy Forum (GRAF) has officially entered the public discourse, positioning itself as a strategic partner in the campaign for reparations from the German government for the 1904-1908 Ovaherero and Nama genocide. Speaking at the forum's launch in Windhoek on Tuesday, interim steering committee member Kavehorere Chris Murangi said GRAF would complement existing organisations rather than replace them in the pursuit of justice.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the forum seeks to unite voices by collaborating with advocacy groups and traditional authorities as Namibia enters a critical phase in bilateral negotiations with Germany. The movement, as described by Murangi, is not just another organisation among the many campaigning for reparations but a group of concerned descendants supporting the broader call for reparations and entities that genuinely believe in true and just reparations.

Murangi emphasized the importance of true and just reparations in terms of the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. He highlighted that the launch comes at a crucial time, particularly after President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah indicated during the State of the Nation Address in April that negotiations are nearing completion and are expected to conclude by the end of 2026.

Pressure is mounting to incorporate the views of affected communities, including the Ovaherero, Nama, and increasingly vocal San and Damara groups, into the final agreement. Murangi further alleged that the government continues to withhold details of the negotiations from descendants of the 1904-1908 genocide, arguing that the current terms of the agreement do not constitute justice, but rather amount to a repackaged development aid initiative that betrays the sacrifices of their ancestors.

Murangi called on all descendants and traditional leaders, both locally and abroad, to unite in support of ongoing advocacy efforts. He asserted that in the face of government intransigence, at the behest of the German government, they must add their voices to those of fellow descendants who believe that the JD does not represent just, fair, and appropriate reparations for the crime of genocide.