Reparations From Europe to the Caribbean

CARICOM the Call for Reparation Don Omar in a speech stated, “So called pragmatist who argue that the question of reparation is impractical, unachievable, utopian a waste of time and energy are ignorant of the moral power of a cause of whose time has come”. (Revitalization of the Reparations Movement Chicago). These strong remarks should be the thought of all Africans throughout the Caribbean, furthermore the world as we seek reparation for the continued pain and suffering that slavery has left behind. Reparations is the process of repairing the consequences of crimes committed and the attempt to reasonably remove the habilitating effects of such crimes upon victims and their descendants. Zacchaeus made reparations after speaking to God, Israel was awarded reparations from Germany after the World War 2, “Paris peace treaty” made Italy, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria pay by means of war reparations, commitment to minority rights and territorial adjustments. The list of individuals, groups, countries and economies that have been given repatriation goes on. These accounts have shown countries successfully receiving repertory justice for crimes far less heinous in nature to the “….. Abhorrent barbarism/ magnitude, organisational nature and especially the negation of the essence of the victims” (The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States declaration) of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Every cause no matter the magnitude nor nature of the cause would always be opposed by ignorant and immoral individuals. Claims have been made by antagonist stating that the call for reparation is an “impractical, unachievable, utopian and a waste of time” (Don Omar). The call for repatriation in the Caribbean isn’t a call for monetary hand-outs to governments, nor is it one based on creating a perfect CARICOM society by asking the European’s to spoon feed us. It is a call for not only economic reparations but also to mend the pride, dignity and self-respect that was and continue to be shattered as a result of slavery. In 1982 England paid the slave owners 20 million pounds in losses, they were given reparation which was calculated to be 40% of the budget expenditure for that year. Enslaved Africans also asked for reparations for the harm caused by slavery and were denied. Contrary to seeking reparations for enslavement, France wickedly and forcefully ordered the republic of Haiti to pay reparations to the slave owners to the value of 150 million francs in compensation for their ‘loss’ as a result of Haiti’s independence. This completely crippled and destroyed the economy of Haiti leaving behind the poor, weak and tremendously wounded Haitian economy we know today. Professor Hillary Beckles stated in a speech that “governments of the Caribbean have inherited a royal colonial mess” he also stated that “they must be held accountable for it”. In Luke 19:1-10 we see the story of Zacchaeus the tax collector were he told Jesus, that he would render half of his wrongful earnings to the poor and to all those he wronged he would repay them four folds. Jesus replied “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” It was only after Zacchaeus spoke of repatriation for his sins did Jesus accept him into his kingdom. There is no way that humanity can be healed from slavery unless Europe pays reparation for their grave and tremendously deep bucket of sins. Sir Beckles in his research stated that in 2008 the only black person of the house of Lords in England Sir Lord Morris Handsworth stood in the house and said that the crime that was done by England was so grievous that he cannot imagine nor can he create a system that can bring justice for the crimes of slavery. However CARICOM leaders have made this seemingly impossible task possible and has put together a 10 point plan discussing the areas that have been crippled by the grievous crimes of slavery and must be invested in heavily by Europe in order to sow the significant psychological and economical hole they left behind. Sir Hilary Beckles on behalf of the CARICOM reparations movement in a speech stated the points that the commission identified as the main conditions affected by slavery. Stating that the Caribbean to date has been known to have the highest incidence of chronic diseases. Hypertension and type 2 diabetes are at the forefront of these diseases and are directly linked to the lack of nutrition, inhumane physical and emotional brutalization that was experienced during slavery. He also said that the acts of slavery left the Caribbean with a tremendous illiteracy burden, where 70% of the African society was said to be “illiterate at the era of our independence”. And that museums and research centres in Europe have been greatly invested in so that their society can understand their imperialistic history, as slave trade benefactors, however no such institutes have been built in the Caribbean by any European country depriving us of facilities to learn our own history. He then went on to say that decolourization of slaves resulting in low ethnic self-esteem, devaluation of the black identity and the total disconnection of African religions, practices and values are still present to date. He ended by saying that for 400 years the policy of Europe had been that the Caribbean should only produce raw materials, leaving our economy scientifically ill-equipped and technologically illiterate and to date our economy still rely heavily on the production of raw materials (CARICOM press reparations statement by Sir Hilary Beckles). The ten point plan requires that Europe invest in all these crippled areas in order for their debts to be repaid to the Caribbean for their devious acts of slavery. “In order for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men do nothing” (J. Bell). We as individuals, as a society, as a nation, as a community, as the world must stand up and join in the reparations call. We have been enslaved, defecated on and embarrassed for years and counting, by the European furthermore the ‘white supremacy’. We must be ready to survive the storms just as our ancestors did and demand that reparation be given to us. “If you're white and you're wrong, then you're wrong; if you're black and you're wrong, you're wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green - God make no rules about colour, only society make rules where my people suffer, and that why we must have redemption and redemption now,” (Bob Marley).