Colonial Era Crimes: Call for Reparations at a UN Conference

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 29 April 2024 (IDN) — At the “Second International Decade for People of African Descent: Addressing Systemic Racism, Reparatory Justice and Sustainable Development“, a European leader spoke out in support of reparations, saying that his country, Portugal, needed to pay the costs for slavery and colonialism. “My country takes full responsibility” for the wrongs of the past,” said Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the Forum from 16-19 April at the UN in Geneva. He added that those crimes, including colonial massacres, “had costs.” The remarks come one year after President Rebelo de Sousa said Portugal should apologize and assume responsibility for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. However, he stopped short of providing any concrete details or a full apology. “Are there actions that were not punished and those responsible were not arrested? Are there goods that were looted and not returned? he asked. “Let’s see how we can repair this.” Source: Success Pitchers But his remarks did not go far enough for activist Paula Cardoso, the founder of the Afrolink online platform for Black professionals in Portugal. She pointed out that the president’s remarks were made primarily...