UK Cannot Ignore Calls for Slavery Reparations, Says Leading UN Judge

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Patrick Robinson says reparation for transatlantic slavery ‘is required by history and is required by law’

A leading judge at the international court of justice has said the UK will no longer be able to ignore the growing calls for reparation for transatlantic slavery.

Judge Patrick Robinson, who presided over the trial of the former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milošević, said the international tide on slavery reparations was quickly shifting and urged the UK to change its current position on the issue.

“They cannot continue to ignore the greatest atrocity, signifying man’s inhumanity to man. They cannot continue to ignore it. Reparations have been paid for other wrongs and obviously far more quickly, far more speedily than reparations for what I consider the greatest atrocity and crime in the history of mankind: transatlantic chattel slavery,” Robinson said. » | Aamna Mohdin, Community affairs correspondent | Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Slavery in the Bible

Jul 18, 2023 | Many Jews and Christians today are uncomfortable with the views of slavery in the Bible; the practice is simply assumed, it is normally condoned, and it is never condemned. Even so, some Christian apologists argue that the Bible actively disapproves of slavery and was instrumental in opposing it in the modern era. But is that right? In this episode I interview one of the premiere experts on the question, Dr. Josh Bowen, who has written two books on the matter; in our discussion he explains what the Bible really says about slavery and how we can put its statements, assumptions, and laws in its own context instead of thinking that it fits comfortably in ours. Dr. Bowen's latest book, Did the Old Testament Endorse Slavery?, is available on Amazon.

The Lincoln Project: VP Harris’ Speech on Revisionist History in Florida (FL)

Jul 22, 2023 | “Our history as a nation is borne out of tragedy and triumph. That’s who we are. Part of that is what gives us our grit: knowing from where we came, knowing the struggles we have come through & being stronger in our dedication to saying no more & not again.” - VP Kamala Harris

Dutch King Apologizes for the Netherlands' Role in Slavery | DW News

Jul 1, 2023 | King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has apologized for his country's role in slavery.

The Netherlands is commemorating the anniversary of the country's abolition of slavery. Speculation had been growing that the king would offer an apology on behalf of the royal house. Last year Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologized for the country's involvement in the slave trade and slavery, but stopped short of offering compensation to descendants of enslaved people.

It is part of a wider reckoning with colonial histories in the West that have been spurred in recent years by the Black Lives Matter movement. DW correspondent Christine Mhundwa has more.


Related article here.

Dutch King Apologises for Country’s Historical Involvement in Slavery

THE GUARDIAN: On day to remember 160th anniversary of abolition of slavery in Netherlands, Willem-Alexander says racism is still a problem

‘I make this apology myself. And I feel the weight of the words in my heart and my soul,’ said King Willem-Alexander in a speech in Amsterdam on Saturday. Photograph: Reuters
The Dutch king, Willem-Alexander, has apologised for the Netherlands’ historical involvement in slavery and the effects that it still has today.

The king was speaking in Amsterdam on the 160th anniversary of the legal abolition of slavery in the Netherlands, including in former colonies in the Caribbean.

In an emotional speech, he said: “On this day that we remember the Dutch history of slavery, I ask forgiveness for this crime against humanity. As your king and as a member of the government, I make this apology myself. And I feel the weight of the words in my heart and my soul.”

He said racism in Dutch society was still a problem and not everyone would support his apology. However, “the times have changed and keti koti … the chains have truly been broken,” he said to cheers and applause from thousands of onlookers at the national slavery monument in Oosterpark. » | Donna Ferguson and agency | Saturday, July 1, 2023

St Kitts and Nevis Is Not Totally Free under King Charles III, Says PM – BBC News

May 8, 2023 | The prime minister of a Caribbean nation has said his country is "not totally free" as long as King Charles III remains head of state. Dr Terrance Drew said that a public consultation on whether St Kitts and Nevis should become a republic would begin during his leadership. He also said he would welcome an apology from the monarchy for its historic links to the slave trade. Buckingham Palace said the King takes slavery "profoundly seriously".

Netherlands Apologizes for Role in Historic Slave Trade | DW News

Dec 19, 2022 | Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte delivered a speech formally apologizing for his country's historical role in slavery and its consequences into the present day. "Today on behalf of the Dutch government, I apologize for the past actions of the Dutch state," Rutte said in a speech. "For centuries the Dutch state and its representatives have enabled and stimulated slavery and have profited from it. It is true that nobody alive today bears any personal guilt for slavery ... (however) the Dutch state bears responsibility for the immense suffering that has been done to those that were enslaved and their descendants," he added. He also said that slavery must be recognized in "the clearest terms" as "a crime against humanity." According to Rutte, the government will establish a fund for initiatives that will help tackle the legacy of slavery in the Netherlands and its former colonies.

LIRE EN FRANÇAIS :

Aux Pays-Bas, les excuses de Mark Rutte pour l’esclavage : Le premier ministre a qualifié la traite, pratiquée jadis par son pays, de « crime contre l’humanité ». »

UND AUS DER NEUEN ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG AUF DEUTSCH LESEN:

Die Niederlande entschuldigen sich für das düsterste Kapitel ihrer Vergangenheit: den lukrativen Menschenhandel: Die Niederlande, deren Reichtum vor vier Jahrhunderten mit der Ausbeutung von Kolonien begann, haben sich bei den Nachkommen der Sklaven entschuldigt. Ministerpräsident Rutte sprach im Namen der Regierung von einem historischen Verbrechen. »

‘Perfect Storm’: Royals Misjudged Caribbean Tour, Say Critics

THE GUARDIAN: Calls for slavery reparations and Jamaica’s PM insisting country was ‘moving on’ signal sea change in relations with royals

A screenshot from the accompanying video.
It was supposed to be a visit to mark the Queen’s diamond [surely Platinum?] jubilee – a chance to present the modern face of the British monarchy to a region where republican sentiment is on the rise.

But it really didn’t turn out that way.

When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge end their week-long tour of the Caribbean on Saturday, they will report back that the tour may have accelerated moves to ditch the Queen as the head of state.

Calls for slavery reparations and the enduring fury of the Windrush scandal followed them across Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas – overshadowing a trip aimed at strengthening the Commonwealth and discouraging other countries from following Barbados’s example in becoming a republic. » | Rachel Hall and Amelia Gentleman | Friday, March 25, 2022

The Foreign Domestic Staff Living As Slaves In London

London's Domestic Slaves: The foreign domestic staff living a life of five-star serfdom in London

North Koreans Working as ‘State-sponsored Slaves’ in Qatar

THE GUARDIAN: Defectors claim Pyongyang regime pockets 90% or more of earnings made by migrants working on construction sites in Qatar, where preparations are under way for 2022 World Cup

Thousands of migrant labourers from North Korea are toiling for years on construction sites in Qatar for virtually no pay – including on the vast new metropolis that is the centrepiece of the World Cup – in what may amount to “state-sponsored slavery”.

According to testimonies from workers and defectors, labourers from the reclusive state said they receive almost no salaries in person while in the Gulf emirate during the three years they typically spend there.

They work in the expectation they will collect their earnings when they return to North Korea, but according to a series of testimonies from defectors and experts, workers receive as little as 10% of their salaries when they go home, and some may receive nothing. One North Korean worker at a construction site in central Doha told the Guardian: “We are here to earn foreign currency for our nation.”

The North Korean regime, led by Kim Jong-un, is currently subject to international sanctions as it continues to defy calls to end its nuclear programme and address severe human rights abuses. A recent UN report accused the regime of crimes against humanity. The foreign currency earned by its overseas workforce is a crucial tool for propping up the isolated country’s fragile economy. Read on and comment » | Pete Pattisson in Doha | Friday, November 07, 2014

THE GUARDIAN: Qatar’s ambitious future driven on by North Korean ‘forced labour’: Army of workers toil for long hours and receive only a fraction of their salaries as they work on Qatar’s flagship development » | Pete Pattisson in Doha | Friday, November 07, 2014

Qatar's Foreign Domestic Workers Subjected to Slave-like Conditions

THE GUARDIAN: Revelations of mistreatment of maids and cleaners add to picture of widespread labour abuse in World Cup host nation

Foreign maids, cleaners and other domestic workers are being subjected to slave-like labour conditions in Qatar, with many complaining they have been deprived of passports, wages, days off, holidays and freedom to move jobs, a Guardian investigation can reveal.

Hundreds of Filipino maids have fled to their embassy in recent months because conditions are so harsh. Many complain of physical and sexual abuse, harassment, long periods without pay and the confiscation of mobile phones.

The exploitation raises further concerns about labour practices in Qatar in advance of the World Cup, after Guardian reports about the treatment of construction workers. The maids are not directly connected to Qatar's preparations for the football tournament, but domestic workers will play a big role in staffing the hotels, stadiums and other infrastructure that will underpin the 2022 tournament. » | Rebecca Falconer in Doha | Wednesday, February 26, 2014

London 'Slave' Reunited with Sister after 30 Years

Kamar Mahtum suggests her sister Aishah Wahab, who disappeared more than three decades ago, will want to return home eventually

Read the Telegraph article here | Friday, November 29, 2013

London 'Slavery' Case the Tip of an Iceberg, Warns MP Frank Field

Labour MP Frank Field

THE GUARDIAN: MP leading review of modern slavery says scale of problem becoming clear after three women allegedly found in captivity

The case of three women allegedly held as slaves for 30 years in south London is the "tip of a rather large iceberg", an MP in charge of reviewing evidence of slavery in Britain has warned.

Frank Field, chairman of the evidence review for the modern slavery bill, said criminal gangs were making "huge sums of money" from people being imported into the UK to work "almost for nothing".

Field said many victims who escape have no way of communicating because they speak little or no English and often come from countries where they are "deeply suspicious" of the police.

"We've had this example of domestic slavery but people are being imported to work, almost for nothing, in industry," he told BBC Breakfast.

"We've got begging gangs being developed, with people being imported. And of course we've got the whole question of how children are being imported to work. It's a whole range of issues we've got to wake up to." » | Staff and agencies | Saturday, November 23, 2013

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Women held as 'slaves' had been part of a 'collective', police reveal: Scotland Yard says two victims originally met alleged captors through a "shared political ideology" and youngest captive held only a birth certificate, and no other papers » | David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent | Saturday, November 23, 2013

Three Women Rescued after 'Decades of Slavery' in South London Home

Two people arrested by police investigating slavery and domestic servitude

Read the Guardian article here | Josh Halliday and Peter Walker | Thursday, November 21, 2013
Related »

Three Women 'Held as Slaves' in South London

The "highly traumatised" women are alleged to have been held against their will for 30 years - with one born in captivity

Read the Telegraph article here | Edward Malnick | Thursday, November 21, 2013
Related »

Three Women Rescued after 'Decades of Slavery' in South London Home

THE GUARDIAN: Two people arrested by police investigating slavery and domestic servitude

Three "highly traumatised" women have been rescued from a house in south London where they appear to have been held captive for three decades, Scotland Yard has said.

A 69-year-old Malaysian woman, a 57-year-old Irish woman and a 30-year-old British woman were all rescued from the residential address on Thursday morning by detectives from the Metropolitan police Human Trafficking Unit.

Two suspects – a 67-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman – were arrested at the address under the investigation into slavery and domestic servitude, the force said in a statement. » | Josh Halliday | Thursday, November 21, 2013

MSNBC Host Apologizes to Palin for 'Unacceptable' Remarks

Howard Kurtz questions double standard following Martin Bashir's 'sad, pathetic and disgusting' attack

Related »

Martin Bashir Says Sarah Palin Is an 'Idiot' and Suggests Someone Should Defecate in Her Mouth

THE INDEPENDENT: Bashir used his afternoon show to launch a scathing attack on Ms Palin over her comments comparing the US national debt with slavery

The British journalist Martin Bashir, who is currently working as a political commentator for US network MSNBC, has sparked outrage by calling former Republican Party nominee for Vice President, Sarah Palin, a 'world class idiot', and suggesting someone should defecate in her mouth.

Bashir, who is most famous for his high-profile interviews with Princess Diana and Michael Jackson, used his afternoon show to launch a scathing attack on Ms Palin over her comments comparing the US national debt with slavery.

In response Mr Bashir described Palin as having a "well-established reputation as a world class idiot", before going on to cite the story of an incident where a slave was made to defecate in another's mouth. » | Rob Williams | Monday, November 18, 2013

Built on Bones: Qatar World Cup Construction Workers Die Daily

2022 World Cup host Qatar, is mired in scandal. It's under fire following reports of migrant workers on construction projects, being abused. The mistreatment has been compared to slavery, and has led to dozens of deaths.

Related »

Heart-rending! Qatar: The Migrant Workers Forced to Work for No Pay in World Cup Host Country

Qatar, one of the richest countries on the planet, will be hosting the World Cup in 2022. But much of the Gulf state's expansion is being built by some of the poorest migrant workers in the world. In the worst cases, employees are not being paid and work in conditions of forced labour. Each month dozens of young Nepalese migrant workers are returning home in coffins

Watch the Guardian video here
Read the Guardian article, ‘Qatar’s World Cup slaves’ here | Pete Pattisson in Kathmandu and Doha | Wednesday, September 25, 2013