Throughout the period of its colonial rule, Germany dispossessed the Namibian population, racially oppressed them, and deprived them of their rights. The German genocide committed against the Ovaherero, Nama, and San in Namibia in the beginning of the 20^th century killed tens of thousands. However, the German government, in its so-called “reconciliation agreement” with Namibia in June 2021, decided only to acknowledge the acts of genocide as egregious crimes from “today’s perspective,” and thus refused to offer effective remedies and reparations to work toward restorative justice. This illustrates yet again how former colonial powers seek to evade genuine legal responsibility.

In the United States, the Black Lives Matter movement is indivisible from a historical hegemonic complex of (post)colonial crimes, incorporating slavery, imperialism, white supremacy, and structural racism. This history shapes the movement’s foundations and larger vision. At the same time, reparations claims for slavery are still being fought for. To what extent do colonial legacies inform how sustainable models of struggle and strategies of resistance may be devised? 

To connect these struggles together from a human rights perspective, Sima Luipert, Deputy Chairperson of the Nama Traditional Leaders of Namibia, Vince Warren, Executive Director of the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights, and Meena Jagannath, Director of Global Programs at Movement Law Lab based in Florida, will take part in a conversation moderated by Wolfgang Kaleck (ECCHR General Secretary).