- May 31, 2023 Kamm Howard, Global Circle for Reparations and Healing and Reparations United.
Greetings all who are in attendance at this intervention – Faith and Reparatory Justice
Of course, it was my desire to be with you all there in person, but family matters have me in Israel at this time. Many of you may know, there is a contingent of former Black Americans who began settling in the city of Dimona, Israel in the 1970’s. That group is known as the African Hebrew Israelites or Black Hebrew Israelites.
I mention this because at a Faith and Reparatory Justice side-event at the 2nd meeting of the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent, let’s be reminded of the many different systems of worship and reverence of the Creator that our people share, and that there are many different types of injustices that we have endured even in attempting to practice our beliefs.
For decades the government of Israel vehemently opposed the settlement in Dimona. The US Government also engaged in clandestine operations in support of Israels violations of the human rights and dignity of these African descendants. Although now, citizens of Israel, I believe there are reparatory justice demands to be made to both the Israeli and the US governments. Although that is not the reason for my visit!
Just putting this on the radar here at this Forum.
As you all may also be aware, the Global Circle for Reparations and Healing, delivered to the Vatican a Reparations Presentment that detailed reparatory demands of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Presentment To The Holy See In Furtherance of Reparations
- Detailed the crimes and offenses of the Roman Catholic Church in particular.
- citing the Church declared and sanctioned the destruction of African kingdoms, the plunder of African wealth and resources, total war on African people, and the perpetual enslavement of Africans and their descendants, and
- contributed to the creation of a racial hierarchy of humanity by endorsing the lie of White superiority and Black inferiority.
- The continued impact and injury on the African World as a result of those crimes – the Church
- contributed to the creation of a global racial animus that has placed Africans and people of African ancestry at the bottom rung of humanity.
- Reparatory Justice initiatives that are demanded –
- A Statement of Full Acknowledgment and Recognition
- An Apology Consistent with International Norms, Customary Law, and Christian Values
- A Commitment to Global Reparatory Justice and Healing Organizations
- The Issuance of Directives to Offending Western Nations to Also Engage in Redress
- The Rescission of Papal Bulls on the Enslavement of Africans and People of African Descent
- The Issuance of an Encyclical on Reparations and Healing for African People
- The Establishment of a Papal Commission to Develop and Fund Reparations Proposals
- A Generous Global Monetary Commitment to Reparations and Healing
We shared knowledge of our actions in Rome at the 1st meeting of the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent from the Assembly floor, in Geneva. And also, at a side event with, Dr Amara Enyia, Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith and Rev Ekemini Uwan.
From the floor of the Assembly of PFPAD1, I also asked the representatives of the Permanent Forum to recognize the reparations presentment model as an international legal document that concisely and succinctly lays forth a reparatory justice claim on non- governmental entities that were complicit in the crimes against the humanity of Africans and people of African descent.
Shortly after the historic gathering, the President of the Permanent Forum, Madame Epsy Campbell-Barr, “in [her} official capacity.” sent an additional letter to the Pope, echoing the statements and conclusions of the GCRH’s Reparations Presentment. Although focusing on an official apology from the Pope – one of the GCRH demands, The President also endorsed the Global Circle’s “reparative actions that are necessary to address the damages caused.”
Additionally, in citing the GCRH’s actions in her request for reparatory justice from the Church, we believe she did, in fact, lift up and recognize the legitimacy of the reparations presentment as an international mechanism for repair. Her letter was entitled “Request to Pope Francis for the Catholic Church to seek forgiveness, reparation and reconciliation with peoples of African Descent in America and the Caribbean towards the path of Human Fraternity.”
It is our hope that you there press the Madame President for results of her letter to the Pope, insist that further engagement moves beyond recognition of the work, but also inclusion of the input of civil society, and that the PFPAD put out an official statement declaring the legitimacy and utility of the reparations present. Again, it is a document that succinctly lays out the crimes and offenses, the continued impact of those crimes and offenses, and the reparatory justice demands of the offending and guilty non-governmental party. Go to GCRH.org for a copy in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish or Italian.
As a result of the GCRH Reparations Presentment and President Campbell- Bars’ Request for Reparatory Justice, it was no coincidence that on March 30, 2023 the Vatican, through its “Joint Statement of the Dicasteries for Culture and Education and for “Promoting Integral Human Development on the ‘Doctrine of
Discovery,'” feebly attempted to run from their actions by seeking pardon from the Papal Bulls that collectively provided political and legal extraction of land and genocide of native peoples. Again, one of our demands were a rescission of these Bull. But true to form, the Church made no mention of the Bulls in connection to declaring total war and enslave- ment on Africa and its children, as President Campbell- Barr also noted in her letter.
In this regard, the GCRH is planning a second trip to the Vatican, we hope all here can join in planning for outcomes of that trip. Dr. Enyia can share with you how to sign-up for engagement.
Thank you for this opportunity to share.