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Reparations debate: Commonwealth pushes UK, Starmer stays tough!
The Commonwealth summit in Samoa highlights the UK's resistance to demands for slavery reparations.
Reparations debate: Commonwealth pushes UK, Starmer stays tough!
The Commonwealth countries have put sharp pressure on the British government to discuss compensation for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. But Prime Minister Keir Starmer remains unfazed and has made it clear that the issue is not on the agenda of the Commonwealth Summit taking place in Apia, Samoa this week. This conference, held every two years, brings together the leaders of 56 countries, most of them from the former British Empire. This year, the focus is on climate change, while calls for reparations for slavery are pushed into the background.
Although the issue is not being addressed officially, Commonwealth leaders have said they will hold their own talks on “reparative justice.” The British prime minister dismissed the demands, declaring: "Slavery is abhorrent... but I would rather work on current challenges than spend a lot of time on the past." Meanwhile, the Caribbean is pushing for a formal apology and the implementation of a 10-point plan that includes debt relief and technology transfer. Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis stressed the need to talk about the “horrendous impact” of the slave trade.
Resistance to demands for reparations
The British government has vehemently resisted the discussion about reparations payments. One report estimated that Britain owes $24 trillion to 14 Caribbean countries, including Jamaica and Barbados. Despite the massive demands, the British government remains steadfast and has not yet paid any compensation. Instead, a proposal for a separate mention of reparations payments in the summit's final communiqué was rejected by British representatives. Instead, the communiqué merely contains a reference to possible future conversations about “reparative justice.”
The discussion about reparations payments remains a hot topic that is straining relations between the Commonwealth countries and Great Britain. While Commonwealth leaders raise their voices, the British government remains firm in its stance and sees no need to confront its dark past. The debate about justice and compensation for victims of the slave trade will continue to be overshadowed by the current challenges that Commonwealth nations must address together.