<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/22/uk-cannot-ignore-calls-for-slavery-reparations-says-leading-un-judge-patrick-robinson>
"A leading judge at the international court of justice has said the UK will no
longer be able to ignore the growing calls for reparation for transatlantic
slavery.
Judge Patrick Robinson, who presided over the trial of the former Yugoslav
president Slobodan Milošević, said the international tide on slavery
reparations was quickly shifting and urged the UK to change its current
position on the issue.
“They cannot continue to ignore the greatest atrocity, signifying man’s
inhumanity to man. They cannot continue to ignore it. Reparations have been
paid for other wrongs and obviously far more quickly, far more speedily than
reparations for what I consider the greatest atrocity and crime in the history
of mankind: transatlantic chattel slavery,” Robinson said.
“I believe that the United Kingdom will not be able to resist this movement
towards the payment of reparations: it is required by history and it is
required by law.”
Robinson spoke exclusively to the
Guardian ahead of Unesco’s Day for
Remembering the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Abolition. He is scheduled to
make the keynote address on Wednesday at the London mayor’s office to mark the
day.
The event follows the key role that Robinson played in writing and compiling
the
Brattle Group Report on Reparations for Transatlantic Chattel Slavery,
which was published in June. The report, which has been described as the most
comprehensive state-to-state reparations analysis, identifies the reparations
that are due in respect of 31 countries in which transatlantic slavery was
practised.
The study estimates that trillions of dollars are owed in reparations to
countries affected by transatlantic slavery. The report, which was published by
the University of the West Indies after a symposium held by the American
Society of International Law, concludes that the UK alone is required to pay a
sum of $24tn (£18.8tn) as reparations for transatlantic slavery in 14
countries. Of that sum, about $9.6tn is due to Jamaica. The report uses
calculations made by the Brattle Group, which factors in the wealth and GDP
amassed by countries that enslaved African people."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
