UN labels slave trade “gravest crime against humanity”
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations during a vote in New York on March 25th, the Associated Press reported on the same day.
The resolution was approved by 123 votes to three, with 52 abstentions. Argentina, Israel and the US voted against, while the UK and all European Union member states abstained.
It condemns the trafficking and enslavement of Africans and the transatlantic slave trade as an injustice against humanity. It also highlights the need to address the legacy of slavery to promote “justice, human rights, dignity and healing”.
The resolution calls for reparations as “a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs” linked to slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.
It also urges the “prompt and unhindered restitution” of cultural items, including artworks, documents and archives, to their countries of origin.
Speaking on behalf of the African Group at the UN, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama said the resolution was intended to address the legacy of slavery and serve as “a safeguard against forgetting” the suffering of millions.
Mahama added that the vote marked a step towards “healing and reparative justice”.
The US opposed the resolution, saying it does not recognise a legal right to reparations for actions that were not illegal under international law at the time.
Deputy US ambassador Dan Negrea also criticised the wording of the text, saying it attempted to rank crimes against humanity; several Western countries raised similar concerns.
Britain’s acting U.N. ambassador James Kariuki said the history of slavery and its long-term impact must be acknowledged, while also calling for efforts to address present-day issues, including racism and modern slavery.
European Union representatives said the resolution included legal interpretations they considered inaccurate and objected to language they said suggested a hierarchy among atrocity crimes.
The vote took place on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which honours the estimated 13 million Africans who were enslaved over several centuries.
UN General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but are considered an indication of global opinion.
Associated Press, UN News, Maghrebi.org
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