Following Kate Middleton and Prince William’s royal tour last month, black and indigenous organisations from Jamaica, Belize, and The Bahamas have banded together to demand slavery reparations from the UK.
The effort might eventually depose the Queen as head of state in the three countries.
The Bahamas National Reparations Committee (BNRC), the Advocacy Network in Jamaica, and the indigenous Maya people of Belize all issued statements criticising the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s recent royal visit, according to the Independent.
“We stand together in opposing William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s so-called charm offensive tour of the Caribbean, which is in direct contrast to the needs and aspirations of indigenous peoples and people of African origin in the Caribbean,” they added.
“We stand united in condemning Britain’s savagery in enslaving our forefathers, the crude indecency of colonial exploitation, the brutality of its enforcers, and the enduring legacies of impoverishment and colonial-era ideologies that have harmed and continue to harmed our people, society, and economy.”
“Going forward, we shall stand stronger, united in our desire for reparatory justice and in support of the CARICOM Reparations Commission’s plan for redress.”
“We will stand strong, united in our celebration of the resilience of Caribbean people who have achieved much since our independence, despite the odds, and we commit to continuing in this tradition in tackling contemporary challenges, rooting out all vestiges of our post-colonial past, and empowering our people to achieve more.”
