A historic tribunal was organized by Afrika-Rat Berlin-Brandenburg in cooperation with the Global Afrikan Congress German Chapter. And in the presence of Prof. Kapet de Bana, International Coordinator of World Council of Pan-African Diaspora (attorney of the tribuan). Attended by over 300 international and national participants and addressed by Expert Witnesses, it received messages of support and welcome from State Secretary of Berlin Liebich. Africans from all over the world gathered in Berlin from February 25th to February 26th to review the 1884 to1885 Conference that was designed by Europeans to share Africa among themselves.
PRESS RELEASE
The Tribunal has determined the decision 125 years ago by the European countries constitute a crime against humanity which lead to the arbitrary division of Africa that disregarded African peoples, laws, cultures, sovereignty and institutions. All of which led to the present fragmentation of the African continent.
In her welcoming remarks State Secretary Liebich observed, “A whole continent and its people were denigrated as a result of colonialism.” Representatives from the conference included Mauritania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Republic of Benin, Haiti, Jamaica, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Switzerland, among others.
Serving as the prosecutor was Professor Kapet de Bana, Coordinator of the World ouncil of the Pan African Diaspora (CMDP.)
The Tribunal concluded that the actions of the Berlin-Congo Conference of 1884, was a crime against humanity. International law states that where ever there is a crime against humanity, restitutions and reparations must be paid to the victims of the crime. No statute of limitations exists for crimes against humanity, consequently the Africans and African descendants are demanding restitutions and reparations.
The Tribunal acknowledged that Africans have the right to determine what form reparations will take. According to Yonas Endrias, Coordinator of the Tribunal, "The European countries that participated in the Berlin-Congo Conference should issue an unreserved apology for the crime.” The reparation demands include but are not limited to: financing of monuments and historic sites; educational curriculum development that includes the history of African descendants; protection of African descendants from displacement of historic and/or traditional lands or places of residence, and the return of stolen land and other resources; the recognition of colonialism and colonial crimes as crimes against humanity; restitution of misappropriated cultural artefacts, and that resources be made available to research and document an accurate accounting of African history, colonialism and its consequences.
The Tribunal has cited the specific case of Haiti and calls upon France to return the reparation that Haiti paid for international recognition, as well as, France’s crime of enslavement.
The Tribunal also reiterates the immediate enforcement of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action Plan and calls upon the United Nations to provide resources for Durban +10 and installation of a Permanent Forum for African descendants similar to the Indigenous Peoples Forum.
As part of its plan of action the Tribunal will make a formal request to the United Nations which has the authority to approach member states to redress the named wrongs. Finally the Tribunal calls for the recognition and investigation of the specifics of anti-Black racism and the denial of and justification of colonialism, colonial atrocities, slavery or the slave trade.
For more information contact Yonas Endrias +49 3023186266 or mobile +49 1799404690,
E-mail: contact@tribunal-afrikakonferenz.org
In her welcoming remarks State Secretary Liebich observed, “A whole continent and its people were denigrated as a result of colonialism.” Representatives from the conference included Mauritania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Republic of Benin, Haiti, Jamaica, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Switzerland, among others.
Serving as the prosecutor was Professor Kapet de Bana, Coordinator of the World ouncil of the Pan African Diaspora (CMDP.)
The Tribunal concluded that the actions of the Berlin-Congo Conference of 1884, was a crime against humanity. International law states that where ever there is a crime against humanity, restitutions and reparations must be paid to the victims of the crime. No statute of limitations exists for crimes against humanity, consequently the Africans and African descendants are demanding restitutions and reparations.
The Tribunal acknowledged that Africans have the right to determine what form reparations will take. According to Yonas Endrias, Coordinator of the Tribunal, "The European countries that participated in the Berlin-Congo Conference should issue an unreserved apology for the crime.” The reparation demands include but are not limited to: financing of monuments and historic sites; educational curriculum development that includes the history of African descendants; protection of African descendants from displacement of historic and/or traditional lands or places of residence, and the return of stolen land and other resources; the recognition of colonialism and colonial crimes as crimes against humanity; restitution of misappropriated cultural artefacts, and that resources be made available to research and document an accurate accounting of African history, colonialism and its consequences.
The Tribunal has cited the specific case of Haiti and calls upon France to return the reparation that Haiti paid for international recognition, as well as, France’s crime of enslavement.
The Tribunal also reiterates the immediate enforcement of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action Plan and calls upon the United Nations to provide resources for Durban +10 and installation of a Permanent Forum for African descendants similar to the Indigenous Peoples Forum.
As part of its plan of action the Tribunal will make a formal request to the United Nations which has the authority to approach member states to redress the named wrongs. Finally the Tribunal calls for the recognition and investigation of the specifics of anti-Black racism and the denial of and justification of colonialism, colonial atrocities, slavery or the slave trade.
For more information contact Yonas Endrias +49 3023186266 or mobile +49 1799404690,
E-mail: contact@tribunal-afrikakonferenz.org
Tribunal of the 125th Berlin Africa Conference to Review the Division of Africa Calls for Reparations
Autor: contact@tribunal-afrikakonferenz.org | Berlin
27. Februar 2010 |
Kooperationspartner:
Global Afrikan Kongress Deutschland
Global Afrikan Kongress Deutschland
Projektträger
Afrika-Rat Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.
www.afrika-rat.org
Vorsitzender: Moctar Kamara
Telefon: +49 (0) 1721797958
Der Afrika-Rat Berlin Brandenburg e.V. wurde am 28.5.2005 gegründet und ist ein Netzwerk und Interessenszusammenschluss von 37 Vereinen und Initiativen der afrikanischen Diaspora in Berlin und Brandenburg.
Wichtigste Aufgabe des Afrika-Rates ist es, die gemeinsamen Interessen der afrikanischen Diaspora in Berlin und Brandenburg zu bündeln und zu vertreten.
Mehr unter www.afrika-rat.org
Der Afrika-Rat ist für seine Arbeit auf Spenden und Mitgliedsbeiträge angewiesen
Spenden an den Rat sind steuerlich absetzbar
Konto Nr. 702242
BLZ 210 602 37
bei Evangelische Darlehensgenossenschaft
Afrika-Rat Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.
www.afrika-rat.org
Vorsitzender: Moctar Kamara
Telefon: +49 (0) 1721797958
Der Afrika-Rat Berlin Brandenburg e.V. wurde am 28.5.2005 gegründet und ist ein Netzwerk und Interessenszusammenschluss von 37 Vereinen und Initiativen der afrikanischen Diaspora in Berlin und Brandenburg.
Wichtigste Aufgabe des Afrika-Rates ist es, die gemeinsamen Interessen der afrikanischen Diaspora in Berlin und Brandenburg zu bündeln und zu vertreten.
Mehr unter www.afrika-rat.org
Der Afrika-Rat ist für seine Arbeit auf Spenden und Mitgliedsbeiträge angewiesen
Spenden an den Rat sind steuerlich absetzbar
Konto Nr. 702242
BLZ 210 602 37
bei Evangelische Darlehensgenossenschaft
Koordinator/Ansprechpartner
des Projekts "Tribunal"
Yonas Endrias, Gobal Afrikan Congress Deutschland.
E-mail: contact@tribunal-afrikakonferenz-berlin.org
Tel.: (030) 23186266
Mobil: 0179-9404690
des Projekts "Tribunal"
Yonas Endrias, Gobal Afrikan Congress Deutschland.
E-mail: contact@tribunal-afrikakonferenz-berlin.org
Tel.: (030) 23186266
Mobil: 0179-9404690
Gefördert durch:
den Integrationsbeauftragten des Berliner Senats
den Integrationsbeauftragten des Berliner Senats
