UN committee says countries must consider reparations for slave trade
Guidance published on Monday by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination stated that the obligations arise from a legally binding 1965 convention on racial discrimination.
A United Nations committee has declared that nations are legally required to contemplate reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and implement measures to remedy the ongoing impact of racial discrimination, which remains prevalent today. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination published its guidance on Monday, stating that these obligations stem from a legally binding 1965 convention on racial discrimination, not from the standards in place during the era of the slave trade.
This marks a significant shift in perspective, moving away from debates over historical accountability that governments have frequently utilized to deter reparations claims.
The UN document highlights that states must implement comprehensive reparatory measures for individuals of African descent, encompassing all aspects of remedies. According to the committee, approximately 12.5 million Africans were forcibly removed and sold between the 15th and 19th centuries, representing the largest coerced migration in history.
The call for reparations, ranging from formal apologies to monetary compensation, has gained traction globally; however, detractors argue that states and institutions should not be held accountable for historical transgressions.
The European Union and Britain refrained from voting on a UN resolution concerning slavery in March. Some states have attempted to evade justice claims in courtrooms by asserting that there were no international laws prohibiting the slave trade at the time - a concept known as the intertemporality principle. Nevertheless, the UN document contends that, irrespective of the legal context of the original historical events, countries are still accountable under current international obligations to address their enduring consequences.
The UN document emphasizes that even if financial compensation alone is insufficient, transformative measures are required. These measures include opening archives, revising public memorials, and establishing independent truth commissions. Pela Boker-Wilson, a committee expert from Liberia who contributed to the document, anticipates that states will transition from general expressions of remorse to concrete and meaningful actions.
She emphasized the need to affirm the dignity of those whose suffering was dismissed, minimized, or forgotten.
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