PRESIDENT Irfaan Ali of Guyana has made an impassioned plea, urging descendants of European slave traders to take responsibility for their ancestors’ involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. In a bold call for reparations and accountability, President Ali proposed posthumous charges for crimes against humanity against those who profited from the cruel trade.
Ali, the leader of the South American nation, underlined the imperative of offering reparations to present-day generations as a form of redress for the deep-rooted injustices inflicted upon African descendants. Only a handful of nations have issued apologies for their historical involvement in slavery.
Ahead of an impending formal apology by the descendants of Scottish sugar and coffee plantation owner John Gladstone, President Ali underscored the significance of such acknowledgments. He emphasised that these apologies should extend beyond mere words and encompass issues of compensation and reparative justice.
Ali welcomed the intentions of the Gladstone family to acknowledge ‘the sins of the past.’ He asserted that this acknowledgment signifies ‘an act of contrition that paves the way for justice’ and recognises the agonising nature of African enslavement and indentureship in Guyana.
‘The Gladstone family has admitted that it benefited from African enslavement and indentureship on the Demerara and other plantations owned by its patriarch, John Gladstone,’ President Ali stated.
John Gladstone, father of 19th-century British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, held ownership of hundreds of slaves and received substantial compensation exceeding £100,000 (equivalent to £15,556,468.00 today). The family’s apology is scheduled to occur at the University of Guyana, with six family members, including former BBC journalist Laura Trevelyan, participating.
Gladstone, an absentee plantation owner who held sway over more than 2,500 slaves in Guyana and Jamaica, was in charge when the historic 1823 slave rebellion erupted on his Success Village plantation on Guyana’s east coast. This event resulted in a brutal crackdown on the rebellion, with revolting slaves executed and their heads displayed on poles as a deterrent.
President Ali advocated for reparations by highlighting the intensified demands from members of the Caribbean trade bloc, known as Caricom. He contended that reparations represent a commitment to addressing historical wrongs, asserting that the trans-Atlantic slave trade and African enslavement were an ‘affront to humanity itself.’
Caricom nations, including Guyana, have engaged a British law firm to explore their case for financial compensation from European nations. Emphasizing the need for concrete action, President Ali urged the descendants of John Gladstone to align with Caricom’s plan for reparatory justice. This plan encompasses formal apologies and substantial investments in education, health, infrastructure, and cultural revitalization to unshackle future generations from the chains of history.
(with AP)