New group calls on British government to discuss reparative justice for slavery

LONDON, Apr 24, CMC – A  new group of people whose ancestors profited from British enslavement and the industries dependent on it, Monday called on the British government to begin long-requested talks on reconciliation and reparative justice for the descendants of the 3.1 million enslaved African people transported across the Atlantic by Britain to the Caribbean.

“Heirs of Slavery” includes authors, journalists, business people and a direct descendant of the Victorian prime minister William Gladstone set up to support campaigns to address “the ongoing consequences of this crime against humanity.

“British slavery was legal, industrialised and based entirely on race. Britain has never apologised for it, and its after-effects still harm people’s lives in Britain as well as in the Caribbean countries where our ancestors made money,” said journalist Alex Renton, the son of a former Conservative cabinet minister.

The group also includes David Lascelles (the Earl of Harewood), retired social worker Rosemary Harrison, businessman Charles Gladstone, the former BBC correspondent Laura Trevelyan, author and publisher Richard Atkinson, retired schoolteacher Robin Wedderburn, film director John Dower and journalist Alex Renton, who is a son of a former Conservative cabinet minister.

Members of the group have publicly acknowledged that their ancestors’ wealth was in part derived from plantations worked by enslaved Africans, and for whom the slave-owners received compensation at British slavery’s abolition in the 1830s.

Harrison’s ancestor  was a slave owner and Attorney General in Jamaica in the late 18th century.

“We encourage the hundreds of thousands of people in Britain with similar family histories to explore and acknowledge them. Until the painful legacy of slavery is recognised by the descendants of those who profited from it, there can never be healing,” said Atkinson, while Gladstone said “I joined this group in an attempt to begin to address the appalling ills visited on so many people by my ancestor John Gladstone”.

The group and their families have all made private donations to tackle poverty, poor education and other issues affecting the descendants of the enslaved in Britain and Caribbean countries. “This group wants to move beyond personal donations, which can never be enough,” said Harrison.

“We wish to offer our energy and support to the existing movements, led by CARICOM (Caribbean Community) and others, that are seeking reparative justice from the European nations and the institutions that were enriched by the industries dependent on enslaved African people.”

Caribbean countries whose people endured slavery and its aftermath are now calling for the former colonial powers to invest in their health and education systems, and for the cancellation of debts. Meanwhile, the group is in conversation with British people descended from the enslaved of the Caribbean countries, and who experience racism, poverty and inequality that derives from it.

“I would like to listen and learn from the descendants of the enslaved to find out what would best help them in their lives today. Please tell us how apology and repair, led by the British nation, should work,” said Wedderburn.

“Those of us in this group share a dark history, one that we are endeavouring to be open about in the hope of encouraging dialogue, friendship and reconciliation between all the people whose lives have been affected. We urge other people with a similar history, both individuals and institutions, to join us in speaking out,” said Lascelles.

Trevelyan said after so long, the reparatory justice movement is gaining momentum in Europe. “Whether it’s the Dutch Government, the Church of England, or the British Royal Family, the enduring and painful legacy of slavery is finally starting to be acknowledged by those who benefited from it,” said Trevelyan, whose family in February gave £100,000 (US$120,000) to establish a community fund for economic development on Grenada and in the eastern Caribbean..

The group said that its main purpose is to lend “our voices as heirs of those involved in the business of slavery to support campaigns for institutional and national reparative justice”.

In addition, it said it supports the CARICOM 10 Point Plan  and is encouraging  the United Kingdom government and other former colonial powers to open a dialogue with CARICOM concerning the plan

“We welcome the Dutch Government’s recent apology for the Netherlands’ historic role in slavery, and note its establishment of a reparations fund to tackle the legacy of slavery in the Netherlands and its former colonies.

“We cannot change the past. But we can change the consequences,” the group said.

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