During a speech to Commonwealth leaders, the King emphasized that the past cannot be changed but suggested leaders could understand and learn from it. He asked members to commit to “finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure.” The biennial summit took place in Samoa with the King speaking as the head of the 56-member group. Although he did not mention slavery, diplomatic sources told the BBC that certain Commonwealth heads of government wanted to start a “meaningful conversation” about reparations the UK should pay for its involvement in the slave trade.
The King suggested the “most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate” but urged a willingness to address the challenging issues. In his speech, he stated, “It is vital, therefore, that we understand our history to guide us to make the right choices in the future.” There were calls from a growing number of Commonwealth leaders, especially those from Caribbean countries, for the UK to take the step and apologize for historic actions and pay reparations.
The communiqué for the summit draft noted the heads of government had “agreed that the time has come for a meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation towards forging a common future based on equity.” The issue of reparations was not supposed to be discussed during the summit, but British officials are accepting that there will be some mention of it in the final communique. Several forms of reparatory justice were discussed, including debt relief, educational programmes, and public health assistance.
Asked about reparations, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that slavery was “abhorrent,” but he felt the summit should address present-day issues such as climate change and boosting trade within the Commonwealth. Quoted by the BBC, Chancellor Rachel Reeves ruled out any reparation payments. Meanwhile, in Samoa, locals expressed differing opinions on the issue of reparations, with some feeling it was best left in the past, while others welcomed the opportunity for small island nations to have their say on issues that would disproportionately affect them, such as climate change
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
