European
parliament passes watershed resolution calling for reparations for crimes
against Africa during European colonialism, by Connor Boyd, 3/28/19,
Resolution
was approved by 535 MEPs, with 80 votes against and 44 abstentions. It calls on EU members to declassify colonial archives and issue public
apologies. Urges countries to adopt reforms to end discrimination against
Afro-Europeans
The European
parliament has overwhelmingly backed a watershed resolution calling for
reparations for crimes committed in Africa during European colonialism.
The bill urges
European member states to introduce a series of sweeping reforms aimed at
tackling 'structural racism' facing millions of Afro-Europeans.
It calls on the
countries to implement nation-wide strategies to deal with discrimination in
education, health, housing, policing, the justice system and politics.
The resolution -
approved by 535 MEPs, with 80 votes against and 44 abstentions - also calls on
European member states to declassify their colonial archives, covering the most
disturbing periods of Europe's colonial past, and issue public apologies.
It urges the EU to adopt 'a workforce diversity and
inclusion strategy' to address the underrepresentation of ethnic minority
officials.
As it stands, the
EU does not share data on race, ethnicity or religion because it's
considered contrary to equality, The Guardian reports.
The text is not
legally-binding, but it was hailed as a watershed moment campaign groups for
specifically focusing on the discrimination faced on the continent by an
estimated 15 million people.
'Histories of
injustices against Africans and people of African Descent – including
enslavement, forced labour, racial apartheid, massacre, and genocides in the
context of
European
colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade – remain largely unrecognised and
unaccounted for at an institutional level in EU member states,' the text
states.
The resolution was
drawn up by British Labour MEP Claude Moraes and was inspired by the racist
behavior experienced by Italian socialist MEP Cecile Kyenge, who served as
Italy’s first black government minister.
Pressure is now on
the European commission to fund the schemes in the EU's next seven-year
budget.
Amel Yacef, the
chair of the European Network Against Racism, told The Guardian the vote was 'a
historic, watershed moment for the recognition of people of African descent in
Europe'.
She added: 'The
European parliament is leading the way and sending a signal to EU member states
to tackle structural racism that prevents black people from being included in
European society. The ball is now in their court: we need concrete action plans
and specific measures now.'
Comments
The EU is not finished
with impoverishing the citizens of their empire. The EU might really be
interested in re-colonizing failing countries in Africa. Should the UK pay
reparations to Indians and Pakistanis or the US for it’s colonial
activities? Should France pay
Vietnam? Should Italy pay reparations to
all countries ruled by the Roman Empire?
Should EU counties sue Greece, Mongolia, Persia and Muslims for their
invasions? Will the Armenians make any
money from this? Will the EU pay reparations to all the countries it has
ruined?
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody
GA Tea Party Leader
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