Abinyah

British monarchs built wealth from slavery, but no one from the royal family has said sorry for their ancestors' role. On Saturday, May 6, King Charles will be crowned head of state in the United Kingdom and 14 other countries, including numerous formerly colonized nations like as Jamaica and the Bahamas. Many of those Caribbean nations are pushing for reparations from the UK government, and for the royal family to acknowledge its ancestors' direct role in slavery. While King Charles' role as head of state in these independent countries is now largely ceremonial, the royal family's direct involvement in the transatlantic slave trade has become increasingly clear in recent years as former colonial powers such as the Netherlands have apologized. But Britain has never apologized. As slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire in the nineteenth century, parliament recognized and approved the payment of 20 million pounds--roughly 300 million pounds in today's money--not to formerly enslaved Africans, but to slave owners as compensation. This distribution ended eight years ago but was insufficient. When you look at the core causes of underdevelopment in our countries, such as Africa, you will find that they are tied to the slave trade and colonialism. It is always upsetting to reveal these awful legacies of our colonial past. However, it is difficult to forget Britain's kidnapping, slaughter, and enslavement of 3.4 million Africans. Some people ask why don't we just forget the past and move on. Marcus Garvey got it right. Our past shapes our future. In 2015 MP. David Cameron told the former colony of Jamaica to "move on" from asking for reparations. Jamaica is home to the largest Caribbean reparations movement. It announced plans in 2021 to ask the UK for compensation for enslaving 600,000 Africans on plantations that built British wealth. Ahead of the coronations, CARICOM from Trinidad and Tobago has proposed plans for former colonizers like the UK to forgive the debt and just invest in Caribbean countries. What are you waiting for? A small group of British MPs has also begun to advocate for compensation. Join us in demanding an apology and restitution for the former colony; together, we shall strip the emperor and the monarch naked. Simultaneously, we will obtain justice for our people.