Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group ] Europe Region Address: I POB 139, 2501 CC The Hague/The Netherlands I T: +31 (0) 6 45 590 131 I E: [email protected] I [email protected] I W: platformslavernijmonument.nl I auads.eu 1 Date: August, 4, 2013 Regards: Recommendations within the context of the Caricom Resolution on Reparations and the integration of 1) the DDPA within the context of the policies and (negotiations) strategies and 2) the UN International Decade for people of African Descent. Address to The Heads of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Nation States Via The Hon. Kamla Persad]Bissessar MP Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Chairperson, Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); And The Rt. Hon Freundel Jerome Stuart QC MP, Prime Minister of Barbados Chairperson, CARICOM Reparations Commission CC. Rt. Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Rt. Hon. Laurent Salvador Lamothe, Prime Minister of Haiti, Rt. Hon. Samuel Archibald Anthony Hinds, Prime Minister Republic of Guyana H.E. Desire Delano Bouterse, President of the Republic of Suriname, Hon.Winston Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Hon. Roosevelt Skerritt, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica Rt. Hon. Dr Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada H.E. Michel Martelly, President of the Republic of Haiti The Most Hon. Portia Simpson]Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica Hon. Reuben Meade, Premier of Montserrat Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis Hon. Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize. Respective: - H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini ] Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; - Excellency, Ambassador of the UN Diplomatic Permanent Mission of the Republic Suriname, Henry Mac Donald; - Excellency, Ambassador of the African Union Permanent Mission in Brussels, Ajay Bramdeo; Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group ] Europe Region Address: I POB 139, 2501 CC The Hague/The Netherlands I T: +31 (0) 6 45 590 131 I E: [email protected] I [email protected] I W: platformslavernijmonument.nl I auads.eu 2 - Dr. Jimni Adisa, Director of the African Union African Diaspora Directory; - Professor Dr. Verene Shepherd, member of the Working Group of Experts of People of African Descent; - CERD: Pastor Elias Murillo Martinez (Columbia) Excellencies We: members of the Global African Diaspora DDPA (Durban Declaration and Program of Action) Monitoring Group Europe Region, have the honour to address this letter to you on behalf of many Non Governmental Civil Society Leading Organisations, Networks and Experts of Africans and Peoples of African Descent, these include the grassroots. From July 25 . 28, 2013, members of Civile Society Non Governmental Organisations of People of African Descents from East and West Europe, North America, Canada, Central America, South America and Africa ] these include Representatives of the Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group ] came in New Yersey, together for a Workshop with the purpose to exchange ideas about the status of various issues and developments of African Diaspora concerns within the context of the MDGfs, The SDGfs, The Human and Peoples Rights and the African Union 6th Region Policies. The Workshop was initiated and organised by the (Global) Pan African Strategic & Policy Group (Pan Afstrag). Other issues of concern were about: 1) The implication of the Caricom Resolution on Reparations and the setup of Reparation Commssions in each Caricom Nation State were they are not already in existence ; 2) The Status of the development of the implementation of the DDPA (Durban Declaration and Program of Action) and its affiliated declarations (Durban Review: 2009; UNGA High Level Panel:2011; CERD (UN Commission for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination): 2010; HRC (Human Rights Council): 2012); 3) The Status of the development of the negotiatons regards the UN International Decade for People of African Descent. Specific the role and position of the GRULAC, including the CARICOM and the AFRICAN diplomatic missions to the UN in Geneva and NewYork. We: members of the Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group Europe Region, this includes members of the Foundations: . National Platform of the Dutch Slavery Past; . African European Womenfs Movement hSophiedelah; . Pan Afstrag Europe Region; . African World Studies Institute; Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group ] Europe Region Address: I POB 139, 2501 CC The Hague/The Netherlands I T: +31 (0) 6 45 590 131 I E: [email protected] I [email protected] I W: platformslavernijmonument.nl I auads.eu 3 . Tiye International (with special UN ECOSOC status); And of the: . The Pan African Diaspora Union Europe Region; . The African Union African Diaspora 6th Region Facilitators Working Group; . The African and African Diaspora Networks The Netherlands would like to bring the following aspects ] within the context of the Caricom Reparation Resolution ] under your attention: 1. UN WCAR 2001; 2. THE UN INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT; 3. THE LINK WITH THE AU 6th REGION DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION; 4. ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE DEVELOPMENT REGARDING THE UN INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT; 5. RECOMMENDATIONS. Ad 1. UN WCAR 2001 Three World conferences against racism have been organised by the United Nations. In 1978, 1983 and 2001. Drawing the lesson of the two first which failed to defeat racism the third one took great care to identify a pragmatic programme of action and recommended an efficient monitoring in the follow up, based on the launching of National Plans against Racism (NPAR). One of the outcomes of this third Durban World Conference is that: g....slavery and the slave trade are a crime against humanity and should always have been so, especially the transatlantic slave trade and are among the major sources and manifestations of racism..... and that the Africans and people of African descentsc. were victims of these acts continue to be victims of their consequences1h The adoption of this declaration of the acknowledgement of the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity was clearly the greatest victory during the UN WCAR 2001. This was also the result of the significant role of the Africans and People of African Descent from all over the world, that attending the UN WCAR. Africans and People of African Descent, from all over the world attended the UN WCAR with the purpose to ensure that many declarations of principle, key demands, and project proposals, fundamental to the nations and peoples of Africa and the African Diaspora, found a place in the gDurban Declaration and Program of Action2. This includes issues regards Reparations. 1 A/CONF 189/12 Report of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) less than 1 agreed to and accepted by 168 nation states. 2 Important to mention are the several AAD (shadow) preparation caused during the UN general assembles. And the four months before the WCAR African and African Descendants NGO meeting from 28-29 April 2001 in Vienna, Austria were in unity and AAD Position Paper was developed. Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group ] Europe Region Address: I POB 139, 2501 CC The Hague/The Netherlands I T: +31 (0) 6 45 590 131 I E: [email protected] I [email protected] I W: platformslavernijmonument.nl I auads.eu 4 The Durban Declaration constituted the most comprehensive international framework against racism. It provided a profound analysis of the historical roots of modern racism as it emerged from the Trans]Atlantic Slave Trade with lasting consequences for a significant proportion of the worldfs population who are people of African descent and constitute todayfs global African Diaspora. The DDPA indeed constituted a decisive breakthrough in the recognition of the plight of People of African Descent. Important to mention too is, that The Durban Declaration constituted specific paragraphs3 on Africans and People of African Descent. Art. 99 of the WCAR Programme of Action recognize that combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance is a primary responsibility of States. It therefore encourages States to develop or elaborate national action plans to promote diversity, equality, equity, social justice, equality of opportunity and the participation of all. Through, among other things, affirmative or positive actions and strategies, these plans should aim at creating conditions for all to participate effectively in decision]making and realize civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights in all spheres of life on the basis of non]discrimination. The World Conference encourages States, in developing and elaborating such action plans, to establish, or reinforce, dialogue with non]governmental organizations in order to involve them more closely in designing, implementing and evaluating policies and programmes. Ad. 2. THE UN INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT The stated intention of the UN General Assembly to declare the International Decade for People of African Descent that should have started in January 2013 was the direct result of the Durban follow up process and the insistance by People of African Descent. We members of the Europe Region Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group . strongly supported the aforementioned intention of the UN General Assemly to declare 2013 to 2023 as the International Decade for People of African Descent and we have allready welcomed the Draft Programme submitted by the Working Group of People of African Descent to the HRC as a recomendation by the UNGA September 2011 and the G77. The proposed theme for the Decade: hPeople of African Descent . Recognition, Justice, Developmenth has our strong support; . again emphezise that we appreciate the inclusive nature of the consultations the Working Group had with NGOs and People of African Descent in the preparation of the aforementioned Draft Programme. We are however much concerned over the delays regarding the concrete start of the Decade and specific about the European Unionfs and the United States of Americafs resistance to the 3 Chapter II victims of racism, Racial discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance; victims: General paragraphs 4 to 15. Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group ] Europe Region Address: I POB 139, 2501 CC The Hague/The Netherlands I T: +31 (0) 6 45 590 131 I E: [email protected] I [email protected] I W: platformslavernijmonument.nl I auads.eu 5 programme for the Decade (drafted by the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent and) recommended by the Human Rights Council. The EUROPE and THE USA GROUP and their allies do not want the DDPA as the centre of the Decade and do not want spent budget on the implementation of the DECADE. We are all aware that implementation of the DDPA can not be achieved without necessary resources. For People of African Descent there can be no other basis for the Decade than the centrality of and full implementation of the DDPA as the core of the programme for the Decade, still, to be adopted by the General Assembly 2013. We believe that first and foremost to achieve success for the International Decade the implementation of the DDPA must be strengthened and be put at the centre of the International Decade. We believe that the right of People of African Descent to learn about their rights as enshrined in the DDPA and other Human Rights instruments must be assured during the Decade. The Decade can play an instrumental role in making the alarming situation for people of African descent visible world wide and alert against the worsened Afrophobia, the special form of discrimination against People of African Descent as recognized by the previous session of the Human Rights Council. The Decade can become a framework to adress the concentration of misery and disadvantages which people of African descent face everywhere they live: poverty, racial discrimination and lack of access to human rights, high rates of unemployment and imprisonment, vulnerability to violence and lack of access to justice, lack of access to education]healthcare]housing, multiple forms of discrimination, and political and economic marginalization and stigmatization. It can become a genuine contribution to the realization of Human Rights for all . but only if political will is demonstrated. Excellencies: Be aware that via statements during the Human Rights Council in September 2012 in Geneva, representatives of Africans and People of African Descent, as well of the South African Diplomatic Mission to the UN in Geneva, as well the African Union Diplomatic Representative, took the opportunity to warn against attempts to ignore and weaken the UN reaffirmation of the DDPA in the project for the International Decade. On the contrary the synergy between the Decade and the intensification of the global implementation of the DDPA must be made full use of and go hand in hand. Ad. 3. THE LINK WITH THE AU 6th REGION DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION May we bring under your attention too, the following paragraphs, constituted by the African Union Head of States in cooperation with the Caricom Head of states Leadership (see the attachment). Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group ] Europe Region Address: I POB 139, 2501 CC The Hague/The Netherlands I T: +31 (0) 6 45 590 131 I E: [email protected] I [email protected] I W: platformslavernijmonument.nl I auads.eu 6 We: members of the Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group Europe Region, experience your Reparation Resolution as an opportunity to realise a link with this aspect of the AU declarataion and programm of action. We do hop ethat you agree. And if Yes, the question is now how Caricom Head of States have planned to realise the connection. We continue: We: members of the Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group Europe Region, are curious about how, on the matter of the Caricom Reparation Resolution, an integrated connection will realised with regards to the aforementionend aspects of the African Union African Diaspora Declaration and Program of Action? And secondly we are curious about the Caricom Head of States (involvement)strategies to incorporate the VOICES of the African Diaspora Communities (from the Caricom Nation states) living in the Europe Region, into the Reparation negotiation proces? After so many decades of struggeling for Recognition, Justice (this includes Reparations/Selfreparations & Reconstruction) and lobbying the United Nations Bodies, we are of the opinion that the VOICES of the African Diaspora Communities living in the Europe Region cannot leave behind. Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group ] Europe Region Address: I POB 139, 2501 CC The Hague/The Netherlands I T: +31 (0) 6 45 590 131 I E: [email protected] I [email protected] I W: platformslavernijmonument.nl I auads.eu 7 Ad.4. ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE DEVELOPMENT REGARDING THE UN INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT At the UN event in March 2013 the Decade was acknowledged by UNESCO and the Secretary] General. See below the link. DECADE FOR PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT content.yudu/Library/A234tj/TheSolutionMagazine/resources/15.htm But if you go to the list of UN International Decades (See the current link below) nothing has mentioned about the Decade for people of African Descents. UN INTERNATIONAL DECADES un.org/en/events/observances/decades.shtml Excellencies: if you donft care? To who else can we go? We therefore Trust that you care!! And to demonstrate concrete interest. Ad.5. RECOMMENDATIONS First of all we: members of the Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group Europe Region, are of the opinion that, within the context of the Caricom Reparation Resolution, the DDPA as a whole can not leave out, while realising Caricom Reparation Policies and Strategies. Our Recommendations therefore are: 1. To ensure consistency in the positions taken in Durban, (2001); Geneva (2009) and New York (2011/2012) by the AFRICAN GROUP, the GRULAC including CARICOM. In this regard we recomment that the draft programme proposed by the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent and recomended by the Human Rights Council must have its full impact on and guide the negotiations which are to commence at the General Assembly on the programme and declaration of the Decade and wthin the context of the Caricom Reparation vision, mission and negotation strategies; 2. Wthin the context of the Caricom Head of States Reparation Resolution: the vision, mission and negotation strategies: a) Use the Durban Declaration and Program of Action (DDPA) as one of the central frameworks; b) Raise awareness that the trans Atlantic slave trade was acknowledged as a crime against humanity by the UN WCAR 2001 and it is therefore that we seek for justice through legal actions against this crime. We therefore agreed with the setup of National Reparation Commissions in each Caricom Nation State where there is not Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group ] Europe Region Address: I POB 139, 2501 CC The Hague/The Netherlands I T: +31 (0) 6 45 590 131 I E: [email protected] I [email protected] I W: platformslavernijmonument.nl I auads.eu 8 one in existence. Issues regard Self reparations and Reconstruction has to be inclusive; c) Give full recognition to the special form of racism, the Afrophobia, faced by people of African Descent; d) Take the lead in advocating for a well resourced UN International Decade as recommended by the Human Rights Council. 3. Take the Lead for a UN drafft Declaration annex Resolution regards an UN Permament Commission for African people and People of African decsent likewise the UN Permanent Commission for Indigenous Peoples and on the Commission on the Status of Women. Feel free to ask for further information if it is needed. We are looking forward to your response. Best Regards, Mrs. Barryl A. Biekman On behalve of the Global African Diaspora DDPA Monitoring Group Europe Region
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 13:30:14 +0000
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