Repeating Islands
News and commentary on Caribbean culture, literature, and the arts 

The Caribbean Island state of Antigua and Barbuda has demanded reparations for injustices suffered by African slaves and their descendants.

Mr Baldwin Spencer, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, told the UN General Assembly annual debate on Saturday that segregation and violence against people of African descent had impaired their capacity for advancement as nations, communities and individuals.

“None should disagree that racism and other legacies of slavery continue to shape the lives of people of African descent, thus reparations must be directed toward repairing the damage inflicted by slavery and racism.”

He stressed that former slave-owning states should begin a reconciliation process by formally apologising for the crimes committed by the nations or their citizens over the 400 years of the African slave trade.

“And to help counter the lingering damage inflicted on generations of peoples of African descent by generations of slave-trading and colonialism, we call on those very states to back up their apologies with new commitments to the economic development of the nations that have suffered from this human tragedy.”

He said that planned African Diaspora Summit in South Africa in 2012 would provide a platform for the African in Diaspora to put in place economic policies to ensure sustained economic cooperation among public and private stakeholders to promote development, entrepreneurship and business opportunities.

For the original report go to http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/antigua-and-barbuda-demands-reparation-for-african-slave-trade/