Caribbean delegation demands reparations for slavery at EU and UK meetings
- The Caribbean delegation's trip is organized by the Repair Campaign, which advocates for reparations.
- In Brussels, the group will meet with EU lawmakers to discuss compensation for slavery.
- The delegation's efforts highlight a growing global movement demanding reparations for historical injustices.
In early July 2023, a delegation from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) plans to travel to Brussels and London to advocate for reparations related to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. This initiative is organized by the Repair Campaign, which aims to address the legacy of colonialism and systemic injustices. During their visit, the delegation, composed of academics and policy experts, will meet with European Union lawmakers in Brussels on July 1 before heading to the UK Parliament for a briefing on July 2. Calls for reparations, which have been longstanding, have gained momentum recently especially within CARICOM and the African Union as they seek compensation for historical wrongs that continue to impact contemporary societies in terms of systemic racism and discrimination. Despite acknowledging the suffering inflicted by colonial powers, European states have yet to agree on reparations. Arguments surrounding the legitimacy of these claims are heated, with opponents asserting that modern institutions should not bear the burden of past transgressions. Nonetheless, advocates emphasize the ongoing ramifications of colonialism, including racism, and highlight the need for actionable reparatory justice to remedy generations of inequity and exclusion. The UN has also joined the discourse, calling for frameworks that address the historical injustices faced by descendants of enslaved people across the world.