Skulls delegation arrive in Germany Submitted by NamibianSun101 on Tue, 2014-03-04 02:00 SAFE AND SOUND: The Namibian delegation pictured immediately after their arrival in Frankfurt, Germany, on Monday. Photo: NAMPA A Namibian government delegation arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, on Monday for the repatriation of the skulls of Namibians who were killed and taken to Germany for at the turn of the 20th Century. The delegation is led by the Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, Jerry Ekandjo, and they are expected to return home tomorrow with 35 skulls and three skeletons. Other members of the delegation are Chief Immanuel /Gaseb, the deputy chairman of the Council of Traditional Leaders, Esther Moombolah-/Goagoses, the head of the National Museum of Namibia, and Nzila Mubusisi, a heritage officer of the National Museum of Namibia. They are accompanied by Phillip Tjerije, the Special Advisor on Traditional Matters to the Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, as well as Natangwe Asino, the personal assistant to the Minister of Youth and Culture. Upon their arrival at the Frankfurt airport, the group was received by the First Secretary of the Namibian Embassy in Germany, Helena Eiseb, and Alexa Kintu, who is the assistant to Namibia’s Ambassador to Germany Neville Gertze. The delegates were to receive the first 14 skulls at the University of Freiburg yesterday. The handover of the remaining 21 skulls and the three skeletons will take place today at the Charite University. Minister Ekandjo is scheduled to hold talks with the State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office, Stephan Steinlein, today. The 35 skulls and three skeletons are said to be those of OvaHerero and Nama people killed by German colonial forces during the 1904-1908 genocide. The human remains are expected to arrive in Namibia on Friday, and the Namibian government will organise an official ceremony at Parliament Gardens in the capital. President Hifikepunye Pohamba is expected to accord the remains of the fallen Namibian nationals a fitting welcome home and the public will have the opportunity to view the remains and perform all the traditional and religious rituals required. This is the second repatriation of Namibian skulls from Germany. The first repatriation exercise was carried out in October 2011, when 20 skulls were returned to Namibia. The repatriation follows a protracted battle by members of the OvaHerero/OvaMbanderu and Nama people, led by their various traditional leaders, with German government authorities to have the skulls released
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 11:19:15 +0000
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