On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus set foot on the so called "New World", ushering in a cycle of occupation, violence, genocide and slavery: this was the beginning of colonization. Begun in the late fifteenth century, colonization lasted several centuries and continues to this day in modern forms (imperialism, mining, land grabbing, military interventions, etc.).
When a wrong has been committed, it must be repaired. If you recognise that colonization has been a source of massive crimes against humanity, then reparations are legitimate. If you refuse these reparations, then you deny the criminal nature of colonial crimes. This is why we are forcefully demanding reparations, and this demand is non-negotiable. Since the beginning of colonization, over five centuries ago, men and women have fought against it and demanded justice.
For this October 12, 2015 we emphasize that the NGO network "No amnesty on genocide" invites to celebrate this year throughout Germany asking for reparations for the colonial genocide committed between 1904 and 1908 in Namibia. On this occasion an Ovaherero delegation will be present in Hamburg, Frankfurt and Berlin, where in those days will start to the German Parliament the discussion in the parliamentary committees of the motion Reconciliation with Namibia: recognize the genocide! discussed in plenary on September 24, 2015 (TOP 17 agenda).
We emphasize then that on September 25, 2015 the National Commission on Reparations of Jamaica asked their Prime minister Portia Simpson Miller to discuss the reparations issue with the Prime minister of United Kingdom David Cameron on the occasion of his planned visit and that on September 26, 2015 also the CARICOM Commission on Reparations has asked to the Prime minister of United Kingdom David Cameron to face the reparations issue.
On October 12 we celebrate the International day for reparations related to colonization and we invite citizens, NGOs, and governments to seize this iconic date and implement any and all action necessary to advance the cause of reparations all over the world (press releases, conferences, exhibitions, media campaigns, street actions, cultural festivals, radio broadcasts or television, political decisions, etc.). It is possible to join the Call here: http://www.colonialismreparation.org/en/what-you-can-do/join-the-call-for-the-international-day-for-reparations.html