Interconnectedness, Healing & Harmony: The Application of Ubuntu in Peace Research and in Namibian-German Postcolonial Disputes Emerging From the Return of Human Remains

Abstract

The colonial past, and particularly the colonial wars that occurred over one hundred years ago between present-day Namibia and the German Empire, still impact Namibian-German relations. The first repatriation of human remains of Ovaherero, Ovambanderu and Nama origin from the archives of the German Charité University Hospital to Namibia in 2011 reinvigorated disputes concerning Namibia and Germany s shared history and associated legacies, particularly with regard to the acknowledgement of genocide and reparations. This thesis analyses speeches of Namibian traditional leaders representing those descendant of this history, as well as Namibian and German government representatives speaking at the handover and welcoming ceremonies in Berlin and Windhoek. The study proposes the application of the widespread Southern African weltanschauung Ubuntu to enhance mutual understanding, particularly concerning the underlying values of the Namibian arguments. Hence, it aims to develop a new perspective on Namibian-German postcolonial disputes, thus contributing to a more positive development of these relations. Moreover, this thesis seeks to uncover how the values and practices of Ubuntu may contribute to conflict transformation and peace research in a broader sense, thereby offering the field of peace research an alternative method of conflict transformation derived from Ubuntu.

This study is conducted as part of the discussion on the role of culture in peace research, understanding culture both as essential to human relations and as a resource for conflict resolution. The analysis uses Chaïm Perelman's New Rhetoric to identify the topics, means and premises of argumentation in the selected speeches. The results of the analysis show that the speakers use the occasions to emphasise different topics and perspectives, including their divergent interpretations of Namibia and Germany s shared colonial history and its repercussions in current relations. The examined speeches display fundamentally different premises of argumentation, particularly between the German representatives and those of the affected Namibian communities. The consideration of Ubuntu is found to make the value basis of Namibian argumentation more accessible by emphasising and contextualising the central values employed by Namibians, namely humanness, humaneness and interconnectedness. The study therefore finds that the consideration of Ubuntu can enhance mutual understanding and support a positive development of Namibian-German postcolonial relations. Furthermore, it is suggested that the contextualisation of values through Ubuntu may be beneficial in other cases involving communities familiar with Ubuntu, and many values and principles of Ubuntu can be applied in support of conflict transformation. The identified Ubuntu mechanisms of conflict transformation include communal engagement with conflicts and the past, the leadership of respected community members, encouraging remorse and forgiveness, and restorative justice. An emphasis on interconnectedness serves as a reminder of a shared humanity and the social context of conflict, with reconciliation ultimately aiming at healing social relations and fostering harmony. More research is suggested to further investigate the potential for Ubuntu in peace research, and the application of its principles in conflict transformation.