Posted on 02/05/2005 12:37:40 AM PST by HAL9000
Western nations should make reparations for enslaving and colonising Africans and finance a Marshall Plan-type fund for Africa, says US actor Danny Glover."I believe in reparations for slavery and colonisation as well, in the shape of a Marshall Plan," Glover told the Associated Press on the sidelines of month-long celebrations in Ethiopia of the 60th anniversary of reggae legend Bob Marley who died in 1981.
"Our basic attitude towards Africa is still one of the coloniser," said Glover, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador for the UN children's agency that has co-organised the celebrations with the Bob Marley Foundation.
"The mentality is one where these subjects (Africans) do not deserve anything different. They still represent a place where they represent cheap labour - the first labour being slavery," he said.
On January 21, JPMorgan Chase & Co., America's second largest bank, apologised for contributing to slavery and set up a five-year $US5 million ($6.43 million) scholarship fund for African-American students.
The Organisation of African Unity, the predecessor of the African Union, in 1993 formed an Eminent Persons Group to study the issue of reparations for slavery. It never submitted a report and nothing has been heard of it since the AU replaced the Organisation of African Unity in 2002.
According to the African Union, which is backing the Africa Unite celebrations, between 30 million and 100 million Africans were forced overseas during four centuries of colonisation.
The Ethiopia celebrations, dubbed "Africa Unite" in tribute to one of Marley's many famous songs, represent the first time the event is being held outside the singer's native Jamaica.
Meanwhile, Nelson Mandela on Thursday compared widespread poverty in developing countries to human evils such as slavery and apartheid, and urged wealthy nations to do more to fight it.
At a rally in central London's Trafalgar Square, the former South African president and Nobel Peace Prize winner said developed nations must provide more aid to poor countries and lift their crippling debts.
"In this new century, millions of people in the world's poorest countries remain imprisoned, enslaved and in chains. They are trapped in the prison of poverty. It is time to set them free," Mandela said before a crowd of several thousand people.
"Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings."
Mandela was speaking on the eve of a London meeting by the finance ministers of the Group of Seven industrialised nations. He is expected to make a separate speech to the ministers with a similar message.
On Wednesday, the 86-year-old statesman met British Treasury chief Gordon Brown, and he planned to meet Prime Minister Tony Blair later on Thursday.
Blair has made doubling development aid to Africa a priority for his chairmanship of the Group of Eight industrialised nations this year.
Brown is expected to use the meeting of G-7 finance ministers to get backing for the International Finance Facility plan, which seeks to raise $US50 billion a year for development aid by selling bonds on the world's capital markets.
In his speech at Trafalgar Square, Mandela endorsed a campaign by Make Poverty History, the British arm of Global Call to Action Against Poverty, a coalition of charities, trade unions, lobby groups, faith communities and high-profile individuals leading efforts to tackle global poverty.
He said developed nations knew what needed to be done to fight the crisis, but they were falling far behind in their promises.
"The first (step) is ensuring trade justice," Mandela said.
"I have said before that trade justice is a truly meaningful way for the developed countries to show commitment to bringing about an end to global poverty. The second is an end to the debt crisis for the poorest countries. The third is to deliver much more aid and make sure it is of the highest quality."
Only if such reparations are also paid out to the descendants of those who fought to free the slaves.
My ancestors were enslaved by people in the East.
I therefore request reparations by Eastern Europeans.
Had to put my favorite, Fluffy, down last night; she was attacked by a raccoon. I empathize. Sorry to go OT, but your post resonated sadly.
Back to the thread: how about reparations for white farmers whose land has been stolen in Rhodesia (excuse me, Zimbabwe) by that megalomaniac Robert Mumgabi (sp?)
My greatgrandfather's family was decimated in Russian pogroms under the Tsar. Hey isnt' the royal family in Britain related to the Tsar? Maybe they can fork over some. Instead of making Harry visit Auschwitz.
I'll let you know.
I wonder if danny glover has seen the reparations skit on Chappelles Show?
will Danny volunteer to move to one of the African countries? If not, he should just shut his big fat liberal mouth.
I'm Scottish. I want reperations from the British for enslaving my ancestors and not allowing them to even speak their own language, follow their own customes, or even wear their traditional clothing.
Could this whole argument be something akin to a SLIPPERY SLOPE!!
yes give them money...just look at Saudia Arabia and Ethiopia ......what is the birth rate????Look it up you will be astounded!!! like bacteria in culture medium....
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