UK Premier Rejects Slavery Reparations, Weighs Formal Apology
Writing in an opinion piece for a national daily newspaper ahead of next week’s Commonwealth heads of government meeting, Burnham voiced “sorrow and regret” over the suffering of millions enslaved.
“The transatlantic slave trade was a brutal and barbaric violation of those people. They were denied their humanity,” he wrote.
He continued: “They were separated from their families, treated as property and worked to their deaths. I want to express my sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering of so many millions of people, and to recognize the way it still shapes our world today.”
Burnham is preparing to attend the summit in the Caribbean next week. He said Britain would offer structured dialogue to affected countries and campaign groups.
“Listening to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the British state will form an important part of this process and I am open to them,” he wrote.
Reparations ruled out
Despite signaling openness to an apology, Burnham rejected financial compensation for Britain’s historical involvement in slavery.
“I do not believe that is the right answer,” he wrote.
“I do not think that British people today can be held liable for historical wrongs, however heinous, which happened in a different age under different laws and in which they played no personal part.”
Debt relief push
In place of reparations, Burnham unveiled an initiative to restructure the debt of the poorest Commonwealth nations. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown would lead the effort, which is expected to draw in international organizations, he said.
Burnham pointed to mounting pressure on these economies: debt-servicing costs have climbed to their highest level in more than 25 years. By the figures he cited, over 40% of the poorest Commonwealth countries now spend more on interest repayments than on health.
“The Britain I believe in is confident, decent and brave,” Burnham wrote.
“We led the world in abolishing slavery – and we can show leadership again today.”
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
