President John Mahama has urged nations to act in the interest of justice and historical truth, calling for international cooperation in acknowledging the transatlantic slave trade as one of the worst crimes against humanity.
On Wednesday, March 25, President Mahama spoke at the UN General Assembly to commemorate the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. He stated that the occasion calls for moral clarity and shared responsibility.
He declared, “Let it be noted that when history called, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who endured the humiliation of slavery.”
According to the President, the day is set aside to mark the memory of an estimated 13 million Africans who were enslaved over multiple centuries, emphasising the value of remembering via global reflection, storytelling, and education.
“Through these activities, we do more than remember. We document and educate; we gain a greater perspective,” he added, adding that these initiatives contribute in the world’s efforts to heal while learning from the past.
President Mahama reminded that the world community officially recognised the day in 2007 after a resolution was passed the year before to honour the victims of slavery on March 25 every year.
Speaking to the Assembly on behalf of the African Group, he emphasised a new initiative to increase international awareness of the injustice of slavery through a draft resolution.
The plan, he clarified, aims to designate “the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.”
He asserts that the resolution is the result of months of discussions between African organisations, member nations, academics, and legal professionals, all of whom were striving for a common stance based on morality and truth.
He stated, “This draft resolution is the result of months of consultation and consensus-building… with the sole aim of achieving a united front and grounding the final outcome in truth, compassion and moral conscience,”
He claimed that passing the resolution will prevent future generations from forgetting the scope and significance of the transatlantic slave trade and aid in the preservation of historical memory.
He continued, “The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting.”
President Mahama described the event as a turning point in admitting past injustices and urged the international community to pursue healing and reparative justice.
He declared, “Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice.”
He emphasised the importance of standing firmly on the side of justice by quoting civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and former US President Theodore Roosevelt.
He urged nations to act bravely and firmly.
He said “We are called to stand on the right side of history on this beautiful day in March.”
Source: newsthemegh.com