EU’s Von der Leyen Received Demand for Colonial Reparations
The Prime Minister of Grenada has stated that former colonies are not asking for charity but for an “appropriate apology.” Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Former colonies are not seeking a handout but an “appropriate apology,” according to the Grenadian prime minister.
During the 48th meeting of the Caribbean Community heads of government in Barbados on Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was urged by Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell to recognize the need for apologies and compensation from former colonial powers for their historical roles in the enslavement of Africans. Mitchell emphasized that slavery must be acknowledged as a crime against humanity, and appropriate reparations should be ensured to prevent future atrocities.
“I don’t mean to be impolite,” Mitchell stated to von der Leyen. “But I will say it to you: the issue of reparations... is an issue we will take up with you.”
The transatlantic slave trade forcibly removed millions of Africans from their homelands, where they were bought by European merchants and taken to the Americas to be sold into slavery. Between 1517 and 1867, approximately 12.5 million people underwent the torturous Middle Passage across the Atlantic, facing brutal treatment and disease. Of those, only about 10.7 million survived the journey, with nearly 40% sent to labor on sugarcane plantations in Brazil.
Calls for reparations for slavery and colonialism have persisted for years, gaining momentum globally, particularly among Caricom and the African Union.
Caricom has proposed a reparations plan that encompasses demands for technology transfers and investments to tackle health crises and illiteracy. The African Union is also in the process of developing its own strategy.
“We owe it to ourselves and future generations of humanity to ensure [slavery] is accepted as a crime against humanity, and that appropriate apology and compensation is paid, and that the international community accepts this should never happen again,” Mitchell was quoted by Reuters.
In response to Mitchell, von der Leyen acknowledged the issue but did not specifically address reparations, stating only that “slavery is a crime against humanity... and the dignity and universal rights of every single human being is untouchable and must be defended by all means.”
In alignment with Mitchell’s sentiments, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne shared with the Guardian that Caribbean nations are not after “a handout,” but rather an “apology for the wrongs of their forebears.”
While Caribbean leaders have not yet agreed on specific figures for reparations, they have indicated that constructive collaboration on the issue is of utmost priority. Following the meetings in Barbados, the topic of compensation was further discussed in closed-door sessions that also included UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
During the 48th meeting of the Caribbean Community heads of government in Barbados on Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was urged by Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell to recognize the need for apologies and compensation from former colonial powers for their historical roles in the enslavement of Africans. Mitchell emphasized that slavery must be acknowledged as a crime against humanity, and appropriate reparations should be ensured to prevent future atrocities.
“I don’t mean to be impolite,” Mitchell stated to von der Leyen. “But I will say it to you: the issue of reparations... is an issue we will take up with you.”
The transatlantic slave trade forcibly removed millions of Africans from their homelands, where they were bought by European merchants and taken to the Americas to be sold into slavery. Between 1517 and 1867, approximately 12.5 million people underwent the torturous Middle Passage across the Atlantic, facing brutal treatment and disease. Of those, only about 10.7 million survived the journey, with nearly 40% sent to labor on sugarcane plantations in Brazil.
Calls for reparations for slavery and colonialism have persisted for years, gaining momentum globally, particularly among Caricom and the African Union.
Caricom has proposed a reparations plan that encompasses demands for technology transfers and investments to tackle health crises and illiteracy. The African Union is also in the process of developing its own strategy.
“We owe it to ourselves and future generations of humanity to ensure [slavery] is accepted as a crime against humanity, and that appropriate apology and compensation is paid, and that the international community accepts this should never happen again,” Mitchell was quoted by Reuters.
In response to Mitchell, von der Leyen acknowledged the issue but did not specifically address reparations, stating only that “slavery is a crime against humanity... and the dignity and universal rights of every single human being is untouchable and must be defended by all means.”
In alignment with Mitchell’s sentiments, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne shared with the Guardian that Caribbean nations are not after “a handout,” but rather an “apology for the wrongs of their forebears.”
While Caribbean leaders have not yet agreed on specific figures for reparations, they have indicated that constructive collaboration on the issue is of utmost priority. Following the meetings in Barbados, the topic of compensation was further discussed in closed-door sessions that also included UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
