President Ali declares Guyana’s support for reparations at UN

…says reparative justice must not only be an apology

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday used the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action in New York to register Guyana’s support for global reparations and restorative justice.

In his address during the high-level meeting, President Ali linked the theme of reparations and racial justice with the attainment of the Sustainable Development goals (SDGs). He noted that equality is a fundamental principle not only of international human rights, but political, social and economic development.
President Ali also assured the UN that his government would work assiduously towards the goal of eliminating racism.
“As we collectively strive to achieve the SDGs, we must be conscious that the overarching objectives of poverty eradication, protecting our planet, and building a peaceful world cannot be achieved without addressing all forms of inequality. Despite advances made over decades of struggle, racism and racial discrimination continue to be sources of conflict in all regions of the world.
“I am proud to belong to a country that honours and celebrates its ethnic diversity. Our people seamlessly participate in each other’s religious and cultural festivals and traditions. In many ways, we can be a wonderful example to the world…
“The Government of Guyana will continue to work assiduously to eradicate all forms of racism and racial discrimination, and to ensure inclusive development with equal access and sharing in Guyana’s wealth,” he said.
On the global stage, the President expressed support for reparations and restorative justice for those of African descent. He noted that reparative justice should include apologies from those responsible for, and those who benefited from, the slave trade. But also, the President threw Guyana’s support behind the convening of an international summit to demand reparative justice.
“Guyana welcomes the inclusion of reparations in the theme of today’s meeting. Every year, on Emancipation Day, we recall the heroic courage and sacrifices of our African ancestors in their struggle for freedom and human dignity. Freedom, however, was not accompanied by recompense for the atrocities committed against those enslaved,” President Ali said.
“Reparative justice must not only include a full, unconditional apology from those who are responsible or benefited from the trans-Atlantic trade. In this regard, Guyana will continue to support the efforts being made within the Caribbean community to press for the convening of an international summit to demand reparative justice for the victims of the trans-Atlantic trade.”
The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action stems from a world conference against racism that was held in Durban, South Africa in 2001. During the conference, member states adopted a landmark document for combating the scourge of racism: the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
The Declaration embodies the commitments of the international community to address the legacy of the past, as well as contemporary forms and manifestations of racism and racial discrimination, including the acknowledgement that slavery and the slave trade are a crime against humanity and should have always been so.
The Programme of Action includes a comprehensive roadmap recommending how member states and other stakeholders should implement these commitments. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action emphasises the plight of victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including Africans and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent, Indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees, displaced persons, victims of human trafficking, and persons belonging to various minorities.
The General Assembly also decided to adopt a political declaration aimed at mobilising political will at the national, regional and international levels for the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and its follow-up processes at the opening plenary meeting.
In the high-level meeting, attendees will discuss progress made, challenges encountered, and lessons learned in efforts to eliminate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance 20 years after the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. (G3)