On the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the UN Secretary-General called for the establishment of restorative justice frameworks to help overcome challenges generations of exclusion and discrimination.
“For four hundred years, enslaved Africans fought for their freedom, while colonial powers and others committed horrific crimes against them,” recalled António Guterres in his message read by his Chief of Staff, Courtenay Rattray, during a commemorative session Monday at the United Nations General Assembly.
“This Day is an opportunity to remember and pay tribute to the millions of Africans who were trafficked and enslaved,” he added, noting that “those who organized and directed the transatlantic slave trade slaves amassed enormous fortunes” while “slaves were deprived of education, health care, opportunity, and prosperity.”
Working for a world free of racism, discriminationAccording to the UN chief, “this laid the foundations for a system of violent discrimination based on white supremacy that still resonates today.” “Today and every day, we reject the legacy of this horrific crime against humanity,” he urged, calling “for the establishment of restorative justice frameworks to help overcome generations of exclusion and discrimination.” According to him, there is a need for space and the necessary conditions for healing, reparation and justice. “We are committed to working towards a world free from racism, discrimination, bigotry and hatred,” he said.
The Secretary-General recalled the resilience of Queen Nanny of the Maroons of Jamaica, the leadership of Zumbi dos Palmares of Brazil, the diplomatic skill and military prowess of Queen Nzinga Mbandi of Ndongo and Matamba, in the present Angola, the heroism of Toussaint Louverture in the slave revolt in Santo Domingo, in present-day Haiti, and the freedom struggle of Harriet Tubman in the United States.
Guterres also told the story of a slave ship en route to the US state of Georgia, which took on board a group of Igbo from what is now Nigeria who revolted and drowned their captors , before tragically committing collective suicide, refusing to give up their dignity and freedom.
A new exhibition on this story was inaugurated at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday. The heroic struggles of these leaders and many others have inspired generations of activists and are not over, as descendants of African slaves and people of African descent around the world continue to fight for their rights and their rights. freedoms, noted the UN chief. »
All societies play a role in the work of healing
“Today, it is our duty to reject and dismantle racist oppression, end the spread of hatred and lies online, and confront the lasting legacy of marginalization and impoverishment of slavery”, underlined the Secretary-General, who called for “reversing the consequences of generations of exclusion and discrimination that have led to gross inequalities in health care, education and social opportunities and economic conditions that still persist today.
According to him, “in the many countries affected by the transatlantic slave trade, all components of society have a role to play in this work of healing and reparation.” “From recognizing and asking for forgiveness for egregious crimes of the past to creating redress mechanisms and rejecting hatred and discrimination in all its forms, all of this can help heal intergenerational trauma and repair fractured and segregated societies,” said the UN chief.
Obtain repairs
In his own statement, UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis paid tribute to revolutionaries like Samuel Sharpe, Sojourner Truth, Gaspar Yanga and countless others who fought courageous battles for freedom.
“The contributions of people of African descent have remained indelibly etched in our memories and in the world around us. The profound value of their art and efforts must be recognized and celebrated,” Mr. Francis urged. He also stressed the need to recognize the urgent need for reparations, as this is an integral part of the quest for true justice.
“The objective of this Day is to continue to shine the spotlight not only on the atrocious acts committed, but also on the racism and prejudices which continue to rage in our societies even today,” declared the President of the General Assembly. He informed of the convening of a meeting on Tuesday at UN Headquarters on restorative justice and called for the proclamation of a second International Decade focused on restorative justice, recognition and equity.
