Vice-Chancellor of UWI Calls for UN Support of Reparatory Justice Programme

Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, addressed the United Nations General Assembly on the International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Slavery, calling for reparatory justice and an end to colonization in the Caribbean. He highlighted that European countries still have colonies in the Caribbean, and urged the UN to recommit to the agenda of decolonization as part of its reparatory justice programme.

Sir Beckles emphasized the genocidal nature of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, citing examples from his home island of Barbados where the population of enslaved Africans significantly dwindled over 200 years. He also drew attention to the ongoing military barbarity and ethnic hatred in various parts of the world, stating that this is a crucial moment for all humane citizens to support the reparatory justice movement and address historical wounds that persist.

The Vice-Chancellor called for justice for Haiti, which was punished for being the first country to end slavery. He criticized the Western world for demonizing Haiti instead of celebrating its noble actions, and highlighted the need for reparatory justice for those who have endured the legacies of colonization and slavery. He stressed that until reparations are paid, the moral conscience of modernity will continue to be burdened by the crimes of enslavement from the past.

Beckles reiterated that the effects of slavery still permeate society today, underscoring the need for reparations to those who have suffered and survived the African holocaust. He emphasized that a reparatory justice framework is essential for securing sustainable economic, social, and moral development in the 21st century. The International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Slavery serves as a reminder of the atrocities of the past and the ongoing struggle for justice.

The International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Slavery was established by the UN in 2007 to commemorate the passing of the Slave Trade Act in 1807, which outlawed the slave trade in Britain, Ireland, and the wider British Empire. Sir Beckles’ impassioned plea for reparatory justice and decolonization at the UN General Assembly highlights the continued importance of addressing and acknowledging the historical injustices of slavery and colonization in the Caribbean and beyond.

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