The United Nations General Assembly has voted to recognise the enslavement of Africans during the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity”, a move advocates hope will pave the way for healing and justice.

The resolution - proposed by Ghana - called for this designation, while also urging UN member states to consider apologising for the slave trade and contributing to a reparations fund. It does not mention a specific amount of money.

The proposal was adopted with 123 votes in favour and three against - the United States, Israel and Argentina.

Countries like the UK have long rejected calls to pay reparations, saying today’s institutions cannot be held responsible for past wrongs.

  • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
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    3 hours ago

    I am a westerner, born in a non slave trader country

    contradictory so far

          • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
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            3 hours ago

            the part where you think black people don’t deserve any kind of help for still being fucked by western racism, with the excuse you can’t keep track of it.

            the “you are a white westerner” part was an educated guess based on that opinion.

            • encelado748@feddit.org
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              2 hours ago

              Never said black people don’t deserve any kind of help. That is just stupid. What I said is:

              • not all western countries are responsible for trans-atlantic slave trade
              • lot of african slave trade is from non wester countries
              • track enslavers and enslaved across 5 centuries is an impossible task

              What I agree is:

              • all countries involved in slavery should recognize the role they had in the centuries before and work to prevent discrimination and exploitation in modern society
              • neocolonialism needs to stop now
              • those countries engaged in neocolonialism needs to provide support to help underdeveloped countries

              I see nothing racist in this opinion, but please enlighten me. The only one talking all the time about black and white is actually you

              • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
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                2 hours ago

                you didn’t say that but ok.

                and the vast majority of modern western countries are very much benefiting from neocolonialism now, which was made possible by racism and their previous domination by traditional colonization.

                most western nations (most of those voting to abstain very much included) have to stop exploiting the global south before they can even begin reparations.

                • encelado748@feddit.org
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                  2 hours ago

                  There is no need for racism to enable modern exploitation. Most western countries exploit their own citizens. Neocolonialism is driven by profit maximization, geopolitical realism and capitalism. See Soviet economic imperialism and china belt and road initiative. Race was a moral justification in the past. It is not needed anymore.

                  • ☂️-@lemmy.ml
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                    15 minutes ago

                    Most western countries exploit their own citizens

                    not nearly to the same extent. yall not working majority 6-7 day weeks and 12-14 hour days.

                    Neocolonialism is driven by profit maximization

                    and justified by racism. ask the average usian why is south america poor, or the average european why is africa poor and they will come up with all sorts of racism over imperialism.

                    shit, this thread is a good example. i wish western colonialism was summed up by just selling us shit like you imply here with the allusion to china.

                    (actually, i wish you stopped trying to justify all the murder and poverty you keep making happen, but what do i know i’m just a person on the other end of your murderous rampage)