By Brigitte Weidlich
OKAKARARA, Namibia, Aug 14 (AFP) - A German government minister openly apologized for the first time Saturday for the "genocide" of the Herero tribe here a century ago, but sidestepped demands for reparations by descendants of the colonial-era massacre.
Development and Cooperation Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul asked for forgiveness, while making it clear even before attending a commemorative ceremony here that her government was not prepared to pay money to specific groups of people.
Herero Paramount Chief Kuama Riruako, said the minister's words were appreciated, but said "we still have the right to take the German government to court."
The Hereros rebelled in 1904 against German settlers they accused of stealing their land and cattle and raping their women. Lieutenant General Lothar von Trotha, who was sent to crush the three-year uprising, drove the Hereros into the desert, fenced them off and ordered their extermination.
Most of the tribe were killed or died or disease and starvation, in what some historians have argued was a foretaste of the World War II Holocaust.
"Atrocities committed at that time would be today be termed genocide and nowadays General von Trotha would be prosecuted and convicted," Wieczorek-Zeul acknowledged.
She was speaking at a ceremony at Okakarara, 250 kilometres (160 miles) northwest of the capital, Windhoek, commemorating the killing of thousands of Hereros by German troops on August 11 1904.
"We Germans accept our historic and moral responsibility and the guilt incurred by Germans at that time. And so, in the words of the Lord's prayer that we share, I ask you to forgive us our trespasses."
Hifikepunye Pohamba, who was scheduled to succeed President Sam Nujoma next year, said he was "personally very happy" at the apology, and added that it must be accepted.
But the 120,000 Hereros, who make up about seven percent of the Namibian population, are suing the German government and individual companies for four billion dollars (3.2 billion euros) in a US court in the District of Colombia, basing their action on the class-action suits launched by Holocaust victims and their descendants.
However, Germany has said it is prepared to give more aid to Namibia in general.
German authorities have several times expressed regret over the massacre, in which up to 65,0000 Hereros were slaughtered. But Wieczorek-Zeul's statement, in English, was the first specific apology.
"I have great respect for your ancestors who died during the uprising," she said. "Those who fail to remember the past are blind to the present," she said. "Germany has learnt the bitter lessons of the past."
After she finished her speech the crowd again called for an apology and she returned to say: "Everything I said was an apology and I want to make this clear so that there is no misunderstanding."