‘These were the first concentration camps in human history,’ says Laidlaw Peringanda, an activist and a representative of the Herero people, a clan that was subjected to genocide of 1904. Four times a year, Laidlaw takes care of a large cemetery of German genocide victims in Namibia. Though Namibia has long gained independence, yet the indigenous population are still yearning for justice. For centuries under German colonial rule, the native groups were used for slave labour and had their lands confiscated. Almost 3/4 of Herero and 1/3 of Nama people were killed, which was internationally recognized as a genocide. Can Namibians find a way to heal centuries-long emotional scars?
Namibia: Pain to Pay For