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Jamaican
attorney makes case for slavery reparations |
November 1,
2007, PORT ANTONIO, Jamaica (JIS): The case for the
provision of reparations for slavery has been strongly
argued by Jamaican attorney-at-law Lord Anthony Gifford, who
has said that the descendants of slaves must come together
to influence international opinion on the matter.
Lord Gifford, who was speaking at a Jamaica National
Heritage Trust-organised public forum held recently, said
that "the slave trade was an international crime of the
worst order committed against humanity" and its perpetrators
were guilty of one of the worst criminal acts in human
history. |
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He said that the
legal basis for reparation for slavery is very strong and
the fact that there were laws in England at the time to
formalise slavery was not enough justification for its
operation. He pointed out further that other racial groups
and indigenous people, who have experienced oppression as a
part of their history, have received reparation for such
treatment.
Citing the reparations paid to the Jews by Germany after
World War II and the payment made by the United States to
Japan following the destruction caused by the unleashing of
atomic bombs on that country during the same war, Lord
Gifford said the notion that slavery is too long past for
compensation to now be provided for the wrongs done during
its existence, is unacceptable.
According to Lord Gifford, an apology is not enough for the
sins of slavery, as its dehumanising effects are still
impacting the lives of many black people, even though
slavery was abolished long ago.
The slave trade is responsibility for the poor economic
conditions existing in many countries where black people
form the majority of the population, he stated, arguing that
Africa has been made poor by the plundering of its resources
and the dehumanisation of its people.
In encouraging the people of the Caribbean and Africa to be
more forceful in the struggle to secure reparations for
slavery, Lord Gifford said there has to be a strong moral
and political case for such action, as any decision in that
regard by international courts is likely to be disregarded
because of the limited jurisdiction of such institutions.
Noting the support for reparation by Minister of Transport
and Works, Mike Henry and Opposition Leader, Portia
Simpson-Miller, Lord Gifford said it is now time for
Jamaican politicians to put words into action and table a
reparation claim in Parliament.
The noted attorney-at-law expressed confidence that
compensation will become a reality in much the same way that
the dream to liberate South Africa from the evil of
apartheid was realised.
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