Commonwealth heads of government are preparing to defy the United Kingdom and agree plans to examine reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, the BBC has learned.<\/p>\n
Downing Street insists the issue is not on the agenda for the summit of 56 Commonwealth countries, which begins in the Pacific island nation of Samoa on Friday.<\/p>\n
But diplomatic sources said officials were negotiating an agreement to conduct further research and begin a \u201cmeaningful conversation\u201d about an issue which could potentially leave the UK owing billions of pounds in reparations.<\/p>\n
Frederick Mitchell, foreign minister of the Bahamas, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: \u201cOnce you broach the subject it may take a while for people to come around but come around they will.”<\/p>\n
Reparatory justice for slavery can come in many forms, including financial reparations, debt relief, an official apology, educational programmes, building museums, economic support, and public health assistance.<\/p>\n
The current text of the draft summit communique \u2013 made known to the BBC \u2013 says: \u201cHeads, noting calls for discussions on reparatory justice with regard to the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and chattel enslavement\u2026 agreed that the time has come for a meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation towards forging a common future based on equity.\u201d<\/p>\n
It says the heads of government would play \u201can active role in bringing about such inclusive conversations addressing these harms\u201d and that they agreed \u201cto prioritise and facilitate further and additional research on the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and chattel slavery that encourages and supports the conversations and informs a way forward\u201d.<\/p>\n