A Plenary Contribution on Reparatory Justice at the occasion of the Pan African Parliament Permanent Committee Sittings during the Opening Ceremony.

Date: February 24, 2025 Location: House of the Pan African Parliament, Johannesburg, South Africa

Introduction

The enduring legacies of the trans-Atlantic slave trade (referred as human trafficking) and slavery and as a result of colonialism, and neo-colonialism continue to impact the African continent and its Global Diaspora, manifesting in:

• Economic disparities
• Cultural dislocation
• Socio-political inequities
• Disproportionate burden of climate change
• Marginalization as consequences of pseudo-scientific delusions about African people (Afrophobia)

This document presents a comprehensive, multi-dimensional strategy for Reparatory Justice, drawing on global Pan African and Reparations movements, research, and the lived experiences of African people that includes the Global African Diaspora Communities.

Content:

1. Contextual Background
2. Definitions and Frameworks
3. Strategic Goals
4. Multi-dimensional Strategic Components
5. Climate Justice as a Dimension of Reparation
6. Conclusion

(The full document continues with detailed sections exploring each of these topics, including in-depth discussions of historical injustices, definitions of reparations, strategic goals, and recommendations for engagement.)

Key Highlights

Reparations Defined

According to various scholars, reparations is more than financial compensation. It’s a process of:

• Renewing and repairing damaged systems
• Investigating historical injustices
• Supporting self-repair of people, society, culture, and structures
• Addressing systemic racism and cultural dislocation
• Restoring indigenous knowledge systems

Strategic Goals

• Develop a unified vision among African nations and Diaspora
• Raise global awareness about historical injustices
• Build strategic alliances
• Engage diplomatically with former colonial powers
• Explore legal avenues for reparations
• Integrate climate justice into reparations framework

Climate Justice Dimension

Recognizing that climate change disproportionately affects Africa, the strategy includes:

• Providing financial and technical assistance for climate adaptation
• Supporting technology transfer
• Investing in climate-resilient infrastructure
• Advocating for policy reforms

Conclusion

The document emphasizes that Reparatory Justice is a transformative process requiring collective effort from African nations, Diaspora communities, international partners, and all committed to justice and equity.

Sources

1. General Assembly Resolution 60/147, 16 December 2005 Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law: https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/basic-principles-andguidelines-right-remedy-and-reparation
2. Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power. Adopted by General Assembly resolution 40/34 of 29 November 1985: https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/atrocitycrimes/Doc.29_declaration%20victims%20crime%20and%20abuse%20of%20power.pdf
3. National Coalition of Reparations for Blacks in America (NCOBRA):
   • What are Reparations? https://ncobraphl.org/why-reparations/what-are-reparations/
   • Defining Reparations: https://app.box.com/s/glj79576det992p8bt3p4aa01k7df7pl
4. Professor Chinweizu: Reparations and a New Global Order: https://ncobra.org/resources/pdf/Chinweizu-ReparationsandANewGlobalOrder1.pdf
5. The Abuya Proclamation: https://africanlii.org/akn/aa-au/doc/declaration/1993-04-29/the-abuja-proclamation-adeclaration-of-the-first-abuja-pan-african-conference-on-reparations-for-africanenslavement-colonization-and-neo-colonization-sponsored-by-the-organization-of-africanunity-and-its-reparations-commission-april-27-29-1993-abuja-nigeria/eng@1993-04-29
6. The Accra Proclamation on Reparations: https://au.int/en/decisions/accra-proclamation-reparations
7. Maulana Karenga: https://reparationscomm.org/reparations-news/rethinking-reparations-a-collective-solutionnot-separate-settlements/
8. Esther Xosei:
   • https://uk.linkedin.com/in/esther-xosei
   • https://stopthemaangamizi.com/2018/07/16/some-uk-ismar-position-papers-on-caricomreparations/
   • https://app.box.com/s/glj79576det992p8bt3p4aa01k7df7pl
9. Report on Reparations for Transatlantic Chattel Slavery in the Americas and the Caribbean: https://www.brattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Report-on-Reparations-for-Transatlantic-Chattel-Slavery-in-the-Americas-and-the-Caribbean.pdf
10. African Union Agenda 2063: https://au.int/en/agenda2063/overview
11. CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparations: https://caricom.org/caricom-ten-point-plan-for-reparatory-justice/