UN Tribunal in Geneva to pressure US into providing $14 trillion as reparations to slave descendants
Multiple experts and activists have come together to press for the formation of a United Nations (UN) Tribunal which will seek $14 trillion in the form of reparations from the United States.
29th of March 2024
Multiple experts and activists have come together to press for the formation of a United Nations (UN) Tribunal which will seek $14 trillion in the form of reparations from the United States, an amount which will go towards descendants of slaves.
This step is said to be a significant part of recognizing race-based discrimination that people have been subjected to over centuries.
A Biden Administration nominee named Justin Hansford, confirmed that a genuine effort is being made to ensure that a United Nations Reparations Tribunal is launched at the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in Geneva next month.
A major part of the tribunal’s remit will include looking into Jim Crow segregations, the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism. The effects of these practices on certain populations over extended periods of time and how it shaped the lives of descendants in today’s world, will be considered in depth.
The tribunal will also push the United States and other governments to apologise for their role in these evil practices and compensate people who have been affected by them often and over many generations.
The President of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis, highlighted the fact that ‘The Decade of Recognition, Justice, and Development: Implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent’ is coming to a close in 2024 but much needs to be done to bring it to a fruitful end.
To achieve these goals, President Francis revealed that a meeting was planned for Monday, with a particular focus on reparatory justice, which marked the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
While highlighting the injustice and discrimination faced by those of African descent, Francis stated the following, “Racism and racial discrimination are a flagrant violation of human rights. It is morally wrong, has no place in our world and must therefore be roundly repudiated.”
UN Chef de Cabinet Courtenay Rattray, delivered a statement on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, in which he stated that enslavement and colonialism have left a devastating legacy in their wake.
He also called racism “an evil infecting countries and societies around the world”, which has taken from people their opportunities, dignity, rights and often their very lives.
The United Nations Chief was adamant that action must be taken to root out this evil and also said, “People of African descent face a unique history of systemic and institutionalized racism, and profound challenges today. We must respond to that reality, learning from and building on the tireless advocacy of people of African descent.”
He also believes that action must be taken in the form of government policies which look to bring an end to racism, as well as tech firms taking steps to remove racial biases from artificial intelligence.
Chef de Cabinet Mr. Rattray brought up the ills of societies such as South Africa in the apartheid era. One example is the incident in Sharpeville, South Africa, where the police opened fire on a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960, which led to the deaths of 69 people.
The International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is close to being universally ratified, now acts as a globally accepted framework in the fight against racism.
Rattray, spoke of how racism is a part of social structures, policies and the very existence of millions of people around the world and is responsible for stripping the rights and dignity of these individuals. This has resulted in a more insidious form of discrimination in health, housing, education and daily life.
In his statement, he called for action, since mere commemoration is not enough and a staunch stance is necessary to eradicate discrimination in a definitive and meaningful manner.
A major part of that, according to Rattray, is the deliverance of reparatory justice by businesses and nations as well.
The depth of this reasoning is reflected in the fact that Ilze Brand Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and June Soomer, Chair-designate of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, also addressed the United Nations General Assembly, presenting their perspectives on racism and discrimination in today’s times.
Questions have been raised about the validity of placing immense financial pressure on nations and institutions in such a manner and the subsequent detrimental effects it would have on them in the near future.
Having said that, most observers and experts agree that some form of action must be taken in this regard and that it is necessary to address the concerns of communities which have been marginalized and chastised throughout history instead of putting it off and kicking the can further down the road, as has been the case till now.
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