- UN Adjudicator Estimates £18 Trillion in Reparations for UK’s Role in Slavery
- Report Recommends $24 Trillion Reparations for 14 Countries
- Reparations Movement Sparks Interest but Faces Political Challenges
A UN adjudicator says the UK owes almost £18 trillion for transatlantic slavery reparations.
Judge Patrick Robinson’s report that the UK pay $24tn (£18.8tn) for its role in slavery in 14 countries.
Mr. Robinson, however, stated that the amount was an “underestimation” of the harm inflicted by the slave trade.
He expressed astonishment that some nations culpable for slavery believe they can “bury their heads in the sand.”
Mr. Robinson, who presided over the trial of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, stated, “Once a state has committed a wrongful act, it is obligated to pay reparations.”
Mr. Robinson spoke Wednesday at London’s City Hall before his keynote address at an event commemorating Unesco’s Day for Remembering the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Abolition.
Since 2015, he has been a member of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and as honorary president of the American Society of International Law, he has been researching reparations.
The Brattle Group Report on Reparations for Transatlantic Chattel Slavery was compiled by a group of economists, solicitors, and historians.
The report, which was published in June, is regarded as one of the most exhaustive efforts to quantify the damages caused by slavery and to calculate the reparations owed by each country.
The analysis calculates that 31 former slave states, including Spain, the US, and France, owe $107.8tn (£87.1tn) in reparations.
The valuation is based on an evaluation of five negative consequences of slavery and the wealth amassed by countries involved in the trade. The report outlines payment schedules spanning decades but states that governments are responsible for negotiating payment amounts and methods.
Mr. Robinson stated in a speech at the London mayor’s office that reparations were “essential for the completion of emancipation.
He stated that the “high figures” in the Brattle Report “constitute a clear, unvarnished statement of the grossness” of slavery.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan stated in his speech that the transatlantic slave trade “remains the most degrading and protracted act of human exploitation ever committed.”
Mr. Khan stated, “There should be no doubt or denial about the extent of Britain’s participation in this depraved experiment.”
Limited achievement
The Brattle Report has sparked interest in reparations, although implicated nations are unlikely to follow its advice.
For years, Caribbean nations have unsuccessfully pursued reparations from these governments for slavery.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rejected calls for the British government to apologize for its role in slavery and pay reparations.
Between the 16th and 19th centuries, British authorities and the monarchy participated in the slave trade, which saw millions of Africans enslaved and compelled to work, particularly on plantations in the Caribbean.
In 1833, the British Parliament passed a law to abolish slavery, which played a crucial role in terminating the trade.
The British government has never formally apologized or offered reparations for slavery.
On whether Mr. Sunak will take the Brattle Report seriously, Mr. Robinson said, “I certainly hope he will.”
Mr. Robinson expressed his hope that Mr. Sunak would alter his mind about reparations after reading the Brattle Report.
However, he added, “This goes beyond what the government and political parties desire”.
“They should naturally set the tone. But I would like to see the entire population of the United Kingdom participate in this activity.”
When asked if the £18.8tn figure could be too low, Mr. Robinson responded, “You must keep in mind that these high figures, as high as they may appear, reflect an underestimation of the actual damage inflicted by transatlantic chattel slavery. This is an observation that cannot be disregarded.”
He stated that the figures in the report “exactly reflect the magnitude of the harm caused by slavery.”
He stated, “It boggles my mind that in this day and age, when the repercussions of this practice are obvious to everyone, countries could believe that they can conceal their heads in the sand and it doesn’t concern them. They appear to be in a form of la la land.”
Legal dispute
Mr. Robinson stated that it was up to governments to determine how reparations could be obtained.
“I believe that a diplomatic solution is preferable,” he said. “I don’t rule out a court approach as well.”
The legal standing of state demands for reparations is highly contested.
Caribbean state representatives have expressed their intent to pursue the dispute to the ICJ, but nothing has happened.
Reparations are commonly understood to be compensation given for something deemed wrong or unjust, and they can take many forms.
Caribbean officials, campaigners, and slaveholder descendants have recently pushed Western governments to join reparations.
The British government cited remarks made by Foreign Minister David Rutley earlier this year in Parliament.
He stated, “We recognize the role British authorities played in facilitating the slave trade for many years before we became the first global force to end the slave trade in the British empire.”
According to him, the government believes that “the most effective way for the United Kingdom to respond to the cruelty of the past is to ensure that current and future generations do not forget what occurred, that we address racism, and that we continue to work together to address the challenges of today.”
