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'Millions For Reparations Rally' Chair Answers Your Questions
The Black World Today ^ | 6/28/2002 | Conrad W. Worrill

Posted on 07/01/2002 6:25:48 AM PDT by H8DEMS

We are building upon the momentum of our organizing work that led to our successful participation in the United Nations World Conference Against Racism.

Therefore, the Durban 400, led by the December 12th Movement and the National Black United Front (NBUF), is calling on African people in America to get prepared over the coming months to participate in the Millions For Reparations Mass Rally demanding reparations from the United States Government in its Capital City, Washington, D.C. on August 17, 2002, the 115th anniversary of the birth of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

Against this backdrop, as we travel throughout the country, many questions continue to be raised concerning the legitimacy of African peoples demands for reparations in this country, Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America. In our organizing work for Millions For Reparations Mass Rally, we have been preparing ourselves by answering key questions frequently asked in the Reparations Movement.

At the First Pan African Conference on Reparations held in Abuja, Nigeria, April 27-29, 1993, The Group of Eminent Persons on Reparations was established. One of the first actions of this group was to concisely answer many of the question raised about African peoples demands for reparations.

As we continually repeat, in these articles, “Reparations, which comes from the word repair, is a movement which seeks to identify and redress those wrongs, so that the countries and people that suffered will enjoy full freedom (and independence) to continue their own development on more equal terms.”

These are some of the questions that are most frequently asked about African peoples demands for reparations that the Group of Eminent Persons on Reparations answered.

Question: Why are we asking so late?

Answer: This is not late for the following reasons:

There is no statute of limitations that limits claims for murder and genocide, such as was involved in slavery,

Further, when slavery was abolished in the 1830’s, it was succeeded by colonialism. This did not abolish exploitation of the colonies (and exploitation of African people in the America’s), it was merely a transformation from one set of subjugations to another. Colonialism ended in Africa only 30 years ago and racism, and racial discrimination continues in the United States. As colonies, Africans could not speak for themselves and were not free to do so. African people in America have been faced with similar challenges.

Question: From whom are we asking for Reparations?

Answer: All those countries and peoples who we can prove unjustly benefited from carrying on slavery and other forms of unjust exploitation will be asked to make reparations to those who suffered and continue to suffer as a result of their actions.

Question: Is there any legal basis to support the present demands?

Answer: The demand for African Reparations is based on morality and equity, but it is also supported in international law. There is a principle in law known as unjust enrichment: if one party becomes enriched as a result of a wrong done to another party, the law compels the former to make an adjustment to the latter. There is, in various conventions, such as the Geneva Convention, of the Human Rights Charter of the United Nations, clearly laid down prohibitions against the denial of human rights. This is what Malcolm X was articulating in the 1960’s.

This is not a matter that necessarily has to be taken before ordinary courts of law. The conscience of the world is a peoples’ tribunal, and it certainly helps our experts who are pursuing various kinds of research relative to reparations.

This is one of the reasons that the December 12th Movement and NBUF led a delegation (the Durban 400) to participate in the United Nations World Conference Against Racism. We joined forces with African people from around the world in support of the resolution that the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade was a Crime Against Humanity; thus, African People are Owed Reparations Everywhere!

Question: Should the present generations be held responsible for the wrong doings of their ancestors?

Answer: The African Reparations Movement is not out to penalize the present generations who are descendents of slave–owners, slave–traders, and slave–merchants, etc. What is being placed before the world is the fact that certain countries today (including the United States), and certain sections of the present generation, are in a better position, economically, politically, and socially than the claimants, as a result of the unjust enrichment enjoyed by their ancestors at the expense of the claimants.

We encourage everyone to get ready to participate in the Millions For Reparations Mass Rally on August 17, 2002 in Washington, D.C.

(Dr. Worrill is the National Chairman of the National Black United Front / NBUF located at 12817 S. Ashland Ave., Flr. 1, Calumet Park, Ill. 60827, 708-389-9929, Fax 708-389-9819, E-Mail: nbufchi@allways.net , Web site: nbufront.org)

Send your comments and suggestions about this article to: editors@tbwt.net


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Free Republic; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: reparations
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Thanks for clearing this up for me, Conrad.
1 posted on 07/01/2002 6:25:48 AM PDT by H8DEMS
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To: H8DEMS
We encourage everyone to get ready to participate in the Millions For Reparations Mass Rally on August 17, 2002 in Washington, D.C.
Thanks for the invite Conrad, I'll be the "German person in America" with a 34 oz. bat in my hand..please stop by & say "hi"...
2 posted on 07/01/2002 7:16:30 AM PDT by Far Right Of Left
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To: rdb3; Khepera; elwoodp; MAKnight; South40; condolinda; mafree; Trueblackman; FRlurker; ...
Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

3 posted on 07/01/2002 7:19:40 AM PDT by mhking
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To: H8DEMS
Worril is full of used food.
4 posted on 07/01/2002 7:21:09 AM PDT by mhking
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To: H8DEMS
...the 115th anniversary of the birth of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

Oh, yes - the Black Star Lines affair was a highly honorable enterprise, for which he was honorably sentenced to 5 years and deported. When he wasn't busy meeting with the Klan, that is.

Everyone's favorite picture of Admiral Garvey himself...


5 posted on 07/01/2002 7:36:46 AM PDT by general_re
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To: H8DEMS
certain sections of the present generation, are in a better position, economically, politically, and socially than the claimants...

What a slap in the face of every "African in America" who works to support him or herself.........

6 posted on 07/01/2002 7:42:00 AM PDT by WhyisaTexasgirlinPA
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To: mhking
Thanks for the ping. Will follow the thread.
7 posted on 07/01/2002 7:48:06 AM PDT by hoosiermama
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To: mhking
I was hoping to see an essay from you on this. But what you said did make me laugh. :0)
8 posted on 07/01/2002 8:04:44 AM PDT by JudyB1938
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To: H8DEMS
"Colonialism ended in Africa only 30 years ago and racism, and racial discrimination continues in the United States."

Will somebody please ask this racist talking d**k if he's ever heard of Uganda, Somalia, Rwanda, the Congo, Zimbabwe, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum??? Ask him if he's aware of what black Africans have been doing to each other for centuries........let alone the last few decades. Ask him if he's aware that it was black Africans who were actually selling the slaves to European slavers. Ask him if he's aware of how those countries that were colonized by Europeans prospered..........and have gone straight to hell as soon as blacks took over. ASK him.

God save us from such lying idiots.

9 posted on 07/01/2002 8:16:49 AM PDT by RightOnline
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To: RightOnline
Colonialism was actually good for Africa. Not that the Afrofascists would ever admit it.
10 posted on 07/01/2002 8:18:29 AM PDT by goldstategop
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To: H8DEMS
Question: From whom are we asking for Reparations?

Any sucker who will pay!

11 posted on 07/01/2002 8:24:58 AM PDT by stainlessbanner
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To: H8DEMS
Further, when slavery was abolished in the 1830’s

Another public school education on display here. The 13th Amendment (abolishing slavery) was ratified in 1865.

And, does he bother knowing about PRESENT-DAY slavery in the Sudan? Of course, it's Muslims enslaving Christians, so I guess that's OK

12 posted on 07/01/2002 8:31:29 AM PDT by SauronOfMordor
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To: SauronOfMordor
Further, when slavery was abolished in the 1830’s

Another public school education on display here. The 13th Amendment (abolishing slavery) was ratified in 1865.

True, but it's partly your public school education that's on display.

The author could've stated it better, but he has reference primarily to the transatlantic slave trade/ abolition of slavery in Africa and across most of the world. (A big clue here is his statement that it was replaced by colonialism, in which the United States was not a big player). Slavery was abolished throughout the vast, globe-spanning British Empire in 1833.

13 posted on 07/01/2002 9:29:10 AM PDT by john in missouri
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To: H8DEMS
Therefore, the Durban 400, led by the December 12th Movement and the National Black United Front (NBUF), is calling on African people in America to get prepared over the coming months to participate in the Millions For Reparations Mass Rally demanding reparations

So let me get this straight -- Africans, who were never a part of the United States of America, and whose ancestors were never brought to this country as slaves, whose ancestors in fact GOT PAID for the slaves THEY SOLD to the slave traders, whose nations we have propped up through endless self-imposed humanitarian crises, now think WE owe THEM reparations?

It boggles the mind.

How about this? The people now living in the African nations, particularly in West Africa but in other parts of the continent as well, have benefitted by inheriting the wealth that their ancestors received when they sold those individuals who became slaves in the United States and in other nations. Therefore, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, etc., etc., owe reparations to American Blacks.

14 posted on 07/01/2002 9:35:53 AM PDT by john in missouri
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To: john in missouri
I agree. The ones who most owe African Americans are AFRICANS.
15 posted on 07/01/2002 11:19:56 AM PDT by Anamensis
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To: H8DEMS
As we continually repeat, in these articles, “Reparations, which comes from the word repair, is a movement which seeks to identify and redress those wrongs, so that the countries and people that suffered will enjoy full freedom (and independence) to continue their own development on more equal terms.

The stupidity echoed in this is almost astounding, if it weren't for the corrupt nature of the entire source and philosophy. And imagine if a white person went out of their way to tell blacks the root of a word.

16 posted on 07/01/2002 1:18:17 PM PDT by FreeTally
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To: john in missouri
The term "Africans in America" is an old term used by people such as Malcom X to reject that blacks here are or were ever "part" of America. Old Malcom, and others like him, typically said something like, "We are not 'African-Americans', we are Africans who happen to be in America".

The quote you were repsonding to was not implying that they want reparations for Africans living in Africa.

17 posted on 07/01/2002 1:22:06 PM PDT by FreeTally
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To: H8DEMS
Taking money from people that were never slave owners and giving that to people that were never slaves is repairations? Does this work with white people that were never slaves? Or does this only work for blacks that were never slaves?
18 posted on 07/01/2002 1:51:01 PM PDT by aSkeptic
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To: FreeTally
The term "Africans in America" is an old term used by people such as Malcom X to reject that blacks here are or were ever "part" of America. Old Malcom, and others like him, typically said something like, "We are not 'African-Americans', we are Africans who happen to be in America".

Hey, if that's the attitude of these people, I suggest they hand in their American passports and driver's licenses in exchange for an airplane ticket to Sierra Leone, Liberia, or Zimbabwe.

19 posted on 07/01/2002 1:55:55 PM PDT by john in missouri
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To: john in missouri
Make that a one-way ticket, by the way. And if they're all into Islam, I suppose we could include Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc. on this list of available destinations.
20 posted on 07/01/2002 2:01:25 PM PDT by john in missouri
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