Decade for People of African Descent (DPAD) Barbados Chapter Regency Cove Hotel Complex Hastings Main Road, Christ Church BB17154 Barbados Tel: (246) 428-8273 / 265-8849 Email: iypadbarbados@gmail August 9, 2014 Re: “12 October as “International Reparations Day” for Recognition, Justice and Development”. Introduction The 12 October 2014 marks the 522nd Anniversary of Europeans’ expedition arrival in the Americas on 12th October 1492. The navigators on this voyage were Africans (Moors). This historic occasion was the gateway to the transatlantic trade in Africans, chattel enslavement and colonization. In 2001 the United Nations (UN) held a World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances in Durban, South Africa. This was the third in a series of UN conferences to find desirable means of repairing some of the damages that has been done to people of African descent resulting from the occasion of 12 October 1492. The resolution below is a revision of the proposal that was communicated to Heads of States worldwide in 1990 by a Barbadian and of the draft resolution, which was among the draft resolutions presented at the Durban conference of 2001 from the same Barbadian calling for 12 October to be observed as a Universal Day of Hope for truth, justice, peace healing and reconciliation. This present draft resolution takes into consideration the recommendation from the UN’s Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent of 2011; that there be an ‘International Day for People of African Descent’ with the theme Recognition, Justice and Development. Resolution WHEREAS on 12th October 1492, Christopher Columbus’ expedition arrived in the Americas; and whereas subsequent to this historic occasion the gateway to Europeans expansionism and exploitation of indigenous populations resulted in the worst treatment for victims of the transatlantic trade in African, chattel enslavement and colonization in order to satisfy the desires of Europeans. And whereas, exploitation through expansionism has led to wars, conflict and human suffering of an unacceptably high level since 12th October, 1492; And whereas, since 12th October, 1492 hopes of prosperity has evolved from the idea of one racial group overcoming another - leading to social injustices such as exploitation and slavery - to the establishment of nations, which have become interdependent on one another, and the transatlantic trade in African, slavery and colonization being all considered crimes against humanity; And whereas, technological development is serving to educate and inform nations, leading to a consciousness of mankind which desires peace, justice and the pursuit of happiness, evidenced by the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, an end to the Cold War, the laying down of arms on the part of Britain and the IRA, and the end of apartheid and with hopes of détente between the Jews and the Palestinians and also of the Diaspora becoming the sixth region of Africa within a United States of Africa; And whereas, the United Nations has proclaimed a decade for people of African descent commencing January 2015 with the theme Recognition, Justice, Development and has also recommended that there be an ‘International Day for people of African descent’; And whereas, these foregoing and other events signal the greatest attempt that man has made since 12th October 1492 towards achieving peace, stability and security; Be it resolved, for the purpose of rectification and in the spirit of healing and reconciliation that this august assembly of the United Nations in recognizing the recommendation from the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent of 2010 for an International Day for people of African descent, and in view of the developments that have taken place since that date we recommend that this body accept the proposal by the government of Barbados and seconded by the Government of Suriname for the 12 October to be observed annually commencing 2015 – the first year of the decade for people of African descent as ‘International Reparations Day’ for Recognition, Justice and Development, to promote and strengthen social justice, world peace, economic and political cooperation between nations and the elimination of ideological warfare and for environmental protection. This proposal is supported by the Assembly of the World Social Movement of the World Social Forum.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 14:50:27 +0000
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