Zimbabwe
minister of Justice calls for reparations and compensation for African and
African Americans
DURBAN South
Africa
September
13, 2001
Special to NNPA
By Lorenzo E. Martin
The Zimbabwe Minister of Justice, H.E. The Hon. P.A.
Chinamasa addressed the issue of reparations, compensation and the
transatlantic slave trade at the International
Conference Center
in Durban South Africa.
Before the opening salvo, the United
States, Britain
and Israel
fought and coerced member nations not to include any reference of reparations,
the slave trade and colonial compensation from being included in its final
draft of resolutions.
Many delegates told the Standard that they were being
pressured to withdraw their support of the reparation resolutions. However,
some did not bend to the high handed tactics of the United
States.
After several days of protest of solidarity lead by the
Durban 400 (a consortium of
organizations such as the December 12 Movement and National Black United Front)
some African delegates slowly began to back the movement for people of Africa
and African descent throughout the world picking up crucial support from
Zimbabwe, Iraq, Ghana, Benin and Cuba on the official front.
But it was the ground swell of the NGO's (Non Governmental
Organizations) that began to turn the tide in favor of the Durban
400's demands.
Their demands were simple. Have the conference pass a
resolution that the slave trade was a crime against humanity; the economic base
of racism and reparations now.
Minister Chinamasa speech was interrupted time and time
again with applause and cheers from NGOs and delegates who came to hear the
historic breakthrough on the question of reparations for Africans and African
Americans.
He boldly said that the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was a
crime against humanity, and African Americans and Africans were victims of
colonialism and racism.
Mincing no words, Chinamasa, told the crowd assembled in the
International Conference
Center,' colonialism is still with
us and you can count on Zimbabwe
to be on the front lines.
'Those countries that benefited in unjustly enrichment from
colonialism should take full responsibilities for their actions, he said. They
(Western Powers) should take from this conference a clear message that slavery
and colonialism contribute to crimes against humanity.'
' He also said, ' a declaration that relate to this
conference should contain a legal obligation to pay reparation from those
countries, individuals and corporations who engaged in this evil custom. '
Minister Chinamasa said it has been argued in some quarters
that slavery, the slave trade and colonialism could not be privatized according
to some because the law was passed after the fact. These arguments took place,
not with things of the past, but those things at the Nuremberg
trials in the 1940s, he explained.
'It was retroactively charged back to crimes committed after
1938. We therefore reject this as mere excuses to avoid responsibility. We view
this reluctance of application of these fundamental issues as self-evidence of
inherent resistance,' he continued.
For proper reparations to pay the victims of slavery, the
slave trade and colonialism, we draw attention to this conference to accept the
issue of reparations is now nationally recognized as part of our legal
jurisprudence,' Chinamasa said.
Chinamasa pointed to the cases of the Holocaust and
reparations, the Japanese Americans and their illegal internment during Second
World War. Why reparations to Jews and not African Americans he asked?
We urge you ( WCAR) not to pay lip service against the fight
against racial discrimination or related intolerance. We do not take for
granted the right to choice, reside in a place of our choice, to pray in a
church of our choice, to elect a leader of our choice , he pointed out
Citing the history of Zimbabwe
during 1890 and 1990, the minister told of land being expropriated by the
British and people executed without trial. 'In spite of the brutalization some
of our people have the right to tell a story and fight another battle. We are
committed to continue our struggle for complete political and colonial
independence.'
Continuing he said, 'We laid down our arms, demobilized our
army, and sent our soldiers home. We did this on the advice of the British and
American governments. They were to pay reparations to white landowners. More
than 50,000 of our lives perished and (their goals) have not been achieved.
Some 30 million hectares of prime land remained with 4,000 white landowners to
the exclusion of the Black population
of 13 million. The end of national reconciliation remains and we want to give
our war torn comrades an opportunity. How long should we wait?'
The white people
have benefited by the powerful sections of the international community and the
international media who unfortunately demonized the Mugabe government making
the whites not them (Blacks) the victims.
The minister said 'We say' no' to the continuation of the
injustice of the past.
He went on to say his people were beaten through forced
labor; we were only paid slave wages. We have not been paid. They (U.S.
and Britain)
reneged. For Zimbabwe
the issue is compensation and reparations. With the resolution of this problem,
the conflict between white farmers and blacks will dissipate.
He then urged the
conference to come out and support them on the declarations on reparations.
There is enough land for both blacks and whites, he concluded. White people
must agree t o should share with their fellow Black citizens.
Meanwhile the Durban 400 were found lobbying in the streets,
delegate halls, caucuses, restaurants and wherever they find an audience their position
became clearer on the question of the Transatlantic Slave Trade being a crime
against humanity, the economic base of racism, and reparations for descendants
of African people from the U.S. and the African Diaspora