Addis Ababa – Participants in the high-level meeting titled “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” held on Friday in Addis Ababa, emphasized the need to build a united and common front to pursue justice and reparations for Africans affected by historical crimes and mass atrocities, including colonization, apartheid, and genocide.
The participants called for collective action to address historical injustices and tackle the consequences of colonization, slavery, apartheid, and systemic discrimination, advocating for restorative justice. They urged the African Union Commission to lead efforts toward historically recognizing and documenting the impacts of colonization and slavery on African societies.
They highlighted the necessity of seeking financial reparations for African countries and communities impacted by colonial exploitation, alongside investing in infrastructure, education, and healthcare to support economic development.
Participants underscored the significance of the reparations issue for Africans, noting its potential to unite Africa and its diaspora. They pointed out that the Atlantic slave trade and colonial policies have had lasting effects on the continent.
In this context, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, reaffirmed his country’s commitment, alongside other African leaders, to criminalizing colonization and slavery and demanding fair reparations from former colonial powers.
In a videoconference address, Gazia Kerkab, daughter of the late Algerian freedom fighter Mokhtar Kerkab, stressed that discussions about reparations for Africans must include a thorough examination of the Glorious Liberation War and African liberation movements. She called for attention to her father’s journey, highlighting his contributions to these causes.
Ms. Kerkab detailed her father’s path, starting with his early involvement in the National Liberation Army, his graduation from the Moscow Military Academy, and his collaboration with representatives of African liberation movements based in Algiers. She also mentioned his relationships with prominent liberation figures such as Samora Machel, Sam Nujoma, Agostinho Neto, Alberto Chipande, Joaquim Chissano, and others, underscoring how he placed Algeria’s liberation experience at the service of African freedom fighters.
She concluded by quoting her father: “One cannot be truly independent if one’s brothers remain oppressed,” reflecting his unwavering belief in the interconnectedness of African independence.
It is worth noting that the late Mokhtar Kerkab played a pivotal role in supporting liberation movements across several African countries through weapons training and combat skills, firmly believing that Algeria’s independence was incomplete without the liberation of other colonized African nations. He always regarded Algeria’s contribution to African liberation movements as a moral duty.
Article written by Nor Eleslam for dzwatch.dz.
