A new international special tribunal must be established, according to a high-ranking Caribbean diplomat, to pursue reparations for transatlantic slavery and its effects on contemporary society.
Support for the establishment of a tribunal dedicated to atrocities stemming from transatlantic slavery was reported by popular news media earlier this month.
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For almost four centuries, at least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped, made to travel hundreds of kilometers, and sold into slavery, mostly by European traders and ships.
Reparations supporter David Comissiong, the ambassador of Barbados to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), stated that a tribunal was required since no international court was adequately prepared to handle claims for reparations this size and complexity.
The Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) had its third session in Geneva, where the Commissioner was addressing. The tribunal’s creation was first recommended by the PFPAD last year.
According to him, the tribunal would need a “positive decision” from the United Nations General Assembly, which is the organization’s principal policy-making body.
“Let us resolve to put in the international advocacy work to successfully deliver the creation of this critical institution at the U.N. General Assembly,” he stated. “Let us all rally around the forum and make this happen.”
Other country delegates, including those from Guyana and Venezuela, supported Commissionerg’s request during the discussion.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reaffirmed in a video statement at the start of the PFPAD on a recent session which noted that racism was founded on centuries of colonialism and slavery. He stated that measures to address it should include restitution.
Although it is still hotly debated, the concept of making additional corrections, such as paying reparations, for transatlantic slavery has been gaining traction globally.
Even advocates for the tribunal acknowledge that its establishment will not be simple. Getting the support of the countries that participated in transatlantic slavery as well as the legal difficulties of identifying the guilty parties and figuring out remedies are obstacles.
