For Future Scrutiny (FFS), Letters & Opinion

Reparations from Europe

It has been more than 180 years since the African Slave Trade was abolished. Since then, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), backed by the impassioned Rastafarian movement, has sought “Reparations from Europe for Slavery and Native Genocide.” Not all West Indians have joined hands in the fight for reparations, and some have even ridiculed the cause. This is perhaps one of the major reasons that European nations choose not to accede to calls for reparations.

Perhaps a short lesson in history would help to make the argument of reparations for the Caribbean People a bit more comprehensible. During World War II, Nazi-Germany committed a number of atrocities to the Jewish people between 1941 and 1945. The atrocities included systematic murder through gas chambers and execution by forced labour among other acts of cruelty. This was called the Holocaust and it claimed the lives of approximately six million Jews. History will never forget this and there are many memorials to make sure it is never forgotten.

When People of African descent talk about slavery and reparations there is a general attitude which seems to say that we should let go of the past and move on. But this ‘Letting go of the Past’ seems to apply only to certain parts of history; therefore we shall revert to World War II. In consideration of the horror that was imposed on the Jewish People during the Holocaust, the Israeli Authorities in 1951 claimed that Germany owed the Jewish People more than US$15 billion in today’s money in reparations.

This figure was supposed to cover the cost of forced labour and “resettling so great a number of uprooted and destitute Jewish refugees.” There was some opposition to the claims, but that did not stop the Reparations Agreement which was signed between Germany and Israel in 1952. As a result, Germany is still paying reparations today. In fact, Hugo Boss, who was responsible for manufacturing uniforms for the Nazis, was reported to have contributed billions to a Holocaust survivors’ reparations fund.

So the question is why is it so difficult for a reparations agreement to be made between the European Nations and the Caribbean people of African descent? The Jewish people were well educated long before, during and after the Holocaust, and knew very well how to ague their case for reparations. The African slaves however, were vastly uneducated at the time that slavery was abolished and simply did not know exactly how to put forward a case for reparations at the time. They were more concerned with enjoying the freedom which they never had. Today, the descendants of the African slaves are much more educated and understand a thing or two about reparations and they want it now.

We are not going to compare the atrocities of the African and the Jewish People, but perhaps we can compare the compensation which they have been given. To make a reasonable comparison between the compensations though, we definitely have to take the atrocities into account. What Nazi-Germany did to the Jewish People in four years simply cannot compare to what the rest of Europe did to the African People during the four hundred years of the transatlantic slave trade. The Jews are powerful and tremendously wealthy people in the world today, and yet, reparations were paid and continue to be paid. The Caribbean People of slave-African descent are neither powerful nor wealthy and yet they have received no reparations. Is that fair?

These are very bold statements made above, but sometimes they need to be made in order to get a reaction. Germany is paying reparations for what they have done in the past but their European brothers and sisters are not. In light of the fact, it is fair to say that Germany is more lenient and considerate than the rest of Europe. I apologize if the reader senses any trace of ant-Semitism in this article as I give all due respect to the Jewish People. I certainly admire the unity of the Jewish people and it is perhaps that kind of unity which CARICOM must emulate in order to put up a stronger fight for Reparations from Europe for Slavery and Native Genocide.

Allen is a reporter employed at The Voice Publishing Company. He has had a passion for reading, writing, story telling and theater for as long as he can remember. His interest in history, philosophy and the human condition, have inspired him to think deeply about life which has in turn given him many things to write about. He enjoys writing articles which educate, inspire, and enlighten the reader; and articles which provoke the reader to look at things from a fresh and different perspective.Read full bio...

3 Comments

  1. Hugo Boss did not give billions of dollars for Holocaust restitution. Check your facts. You might want to contact the Conference on Material Claims Against Germany, located in New York City, but clearly, your reporters and fact checkers do not give a hoot about facts or truth.

  2. One more thing: Are you aware of how much money and property, artwork and businesses the Germans literally looted from a people who lived in their midst for almost 1,000 years and built their middle class? And German Academia? Did you bother to read history or Stuart Eizenstat’s book about the negotiations? There is nothing like veiled antisemitism hidden behind made-up facts and stereotyping in a news article that is clearly not fact checked by a newspaper that is fine with having people spread fake news and hate. Congratulations. You win this week’s prize for subtle Jew hatred.

  3. The Jewish people were enslaved in Egypt for hundreds of years, before being freed
    and that was thousands of years ago. Jewish families who refused the ways of, and
    to be converted to Christianity were expelled from Spain, and after settling down in
    other European countries the persecution never stopped to this day. Boat loads were
    turned away from U.S. Shores and elsewhere, because of hatred and prejudice by
    countries that claimed to have had a christian background, including Russia.Ignorance
    and hate is still raising it’s ugly head in Europe and the U.S.A. today, sadly some claim
    to be Christians. I’m just an ordinary Joe who’ve spent some time in Libraries here and there
    in my spare time, from Europe and in Nth. America, I enjoy spending time with people of all
    stripes, but most of all, listening to them; some are learned people, some are ordinary folks like me.
    I’m not looking for loose change from Europe, but if some get it, then good luck. Give God the Glory.

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