By Basant El-Faramawy
Activists in Antigua and Barbuda are preparing a series of demonstrations to press King Charles III and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham for reparations and a formal apology for the transatlantic slave trade as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) opens in St John's next week. Billboards, placards, T-shirts and a candlelight vigil for the thousands of Africans trafficked to the islands will convey a message that the issue cannot be ignored.
Protests and demands
James Knight of Citizens for Reparatory Justice said the British government and the King made protest necessary by announcing ahead of the summit that there would be no apology and no reparations. He described that stance as "extremely insulting [and] insensitive" given Caribbean leaders' long-standing calls for the matter to be discussed. The CHOGM, usually a collegial gathering of the bloc's 56 member countries, will be surrounded by reparations events including a beach vigil and the launch of a "global reparations caravan" intended to keep the issue at the forefront.
Burnham's response
In a recent article, Burnham went further than any previous British prime minister, offering a "structured dialogue" with those affected by the slave trade and stating he is open to listening to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the British state. However, he maintained that British people today cannot be held liable for historical wrongs, stopping short of committing to financial reparations.
Caricom's stance
Hilary Beckles, chair of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) reparations commission, called the gathering "the Chogm of reparations" and the "first round of reparations negotiations." He emphasized that reparatory justice is the number one item for the Caribbean at this summit. The commission's 10-point plan places a "full and formal apology" as the first step toward acknowledging responsibility and repairing harms.
Palace position
Buckingham Palace has sought to separate the monarch from government policy. In a letter to Dorbrene O'Marde, chair of the Antigua and Barbuda reparations support commission, the palace said questions on the UK's reparations position are for the British government. O'Marde criticized "blanket 'no apologies' statements" as shameful and accused the UK of relying on "verbal gymnastics" to avoid an apology.
UN resolution and legal moves
A United Nations resolution in March, backed by 123 countries, described the trafficking and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. Verene Shepherd, vice-chair of the Caricom reparations commission, said a UN committee recommendation that countries are legally obliged to consider reparations strengthens the movement's international legitimacy. Jamaica has lodged a landmark petition to the King seeking legal advice on its reparations claim, to be heard by the Privy Council in March.
Caribbean voices
In Guyana, where the King visited earlier this week, opinions varied. Visual designer Ron ChangYuen said the visit would be pointless unless it shifts the conversation toward "actual results," while dramatist Deandra Daniels said an apology alone would not address generational trauma. Despite scepticism, activists like Knight remain optimistic that the summit will advance the campaign, making it an issue leaders "are not going to be able to dodge."
