The Caribbean has not forgotten
By Roberto Castellanos
IN their fight for the vindication of their peoples and the search
for justice, the Caribbean nations are to demand from their former metropolises
economic and moral reparations for slavery, the genocide of their peoples, and
the colonial practices to which they were subjected.
The cornerstone of this demand was affirmed during the 34th Summit
of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which took place in July in Trinidad &
Tobago, and which gave the green light to the formation of a regional
reparations group, to be supervised by prime ministers and presidents of the
region.
The new institution will be responsible for coordinating the
national commissions of each state.
The next step is a meeting in St. Vincent & the Grenadines in
the first week of September, at which various leaders will have discussions with
lawyers and historians to draw up a common strategy. The legacy of slavery
includes endemic poverty and the lack of development which characterizes a large
part of the region. Any agreement must contemplate a formal apology, but remorse
by itself is not sufficient, stated President Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent
& the Grenadines.
For this reason, CARICOM has retained the UK law firm Leigh Day
& Co, which recently won a claim forcing London to compensate hundreds of
Kenyans tortured during their liberation struggle, in the so-called Mau Mau
rebellion (1952-1960), with more than $20 million. "Our first step will be to
seek a negotiated agreement with the governments of France, Britain and the
Netherlands in an attempt to resolve the issue amicably," stated lawyer Martyn
Day.
However, David Fitton, British High Commissioner to Jamaica, made
clear his government’s position by denying that this ruling set any
precedent.
"We don't think the issue of reparations is the right way to
address these issues," he said. "It's not the right way to address an historical
problem."
Although there is no official data, it is estimated that 12
million Africans were taken by force from their continent and transported to the
Western Hemisphere to work as slaves. Moreover, a significant number of them
never reached their destination as they died in the crossing due to abysmal
hygienic conditions, poor food and crowded into the ships’ holds.
While the Caribbean nations have not as yet presented a concrete
monetary amount as compensation, regional media have referred to the
compensation granted by the British to owners of Caribbean plantations after the
emancipation of slaves in 1834.
Then, London paid colonialists approximately 20 million GBP,
currently worth $200 billion.
According to Armand Zunder, president of the Suriname National
Reparations Committee, during its occupation of this Caribbean nation, the
Netherlands alone obtained a sum amounting to 125 billion euros at the current
rate.
Nor is there consensus as to the destination of any sums
contributed, but Gonsalves called for the creation of a compensation fund for
the economic and social development of the region. (Orbe)
August 29, 2013
