Sunday Ehigiator
British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham has mentioned he’s open to calls for a proper apology on behalf of the nation for its position within the transatlantic slave commerce.
In an OP-ED printed on the weekend in The Guardian, Burnham described the slave commerce as a “brutal and barbaric violation” in opposition to enslaved individuals.
“They were denied their humanity. They were separated from their families, treated as property and worked to their deaths,” Burnham mentioned.
“I want to express my sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering of so many millions of people, and to recognise the way it still shapes our world today.”
However, the prime minister mentioned that whereas there have been calls for monetary reparations for the slave commerce, “I do not believe that is the right answer”.
“I do not think that British people today can be held liable for historical wrongs, however heinous, that happened in a different age under different laws and in which they played no personal part.”
Instead, Burnham mentioned he would launch a brand new drive to restructure debt for the poorest Commonwealth international locations, serving to them repay debt over an extended interval and with higher rates of interest.
The prime minister’s feedback got here forward of a Commonwealth leaders’ summit within the Caribbean subsequent week the place slavery and reparations are anticipated to dominate the agenda.
Just final week, Commonwealth Secretary General, Shirley Botchwey, mentioned a proper apology for slavery from King Charles, who will attend the heads of presidency summit, “wouldn’t hurt,” including that the “time has come” for a severe dialog on reparations.
