Shepherd demands justice for indigenous peoples of Caribbean
Published:Monday | October 14, 2019 | 12:10 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
Head of the Centre for Reparation Research at The University of the West Indies, Mona, Professor Verene Shepherd is calling for regional governments to do all that is within their power to improve the lives of indigenous peoples within their jurisdictions.
The centre said that it is also demanding apologies from current and former colonial powers to kick-start a reparatory justice conversation as set out in Point 2 of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Reparations Commission’s 10-Point Action Plan, which speaks to the need for an Indigenous Peoples Development Programme.
“It is a shame that our indigenous peoples, whose culture and history are such integral parts of our civilisation, continue to be subjected to the abuse of their human rights, making them one of the most vulnerable communities in the world,” the director said.
She further stated that it is unacceptable that the indigenous peoples of the Americas still experience the destruction of their natural habitats, theft of their lands, racial discrimination, marginalisation, and social injustice.
“Such injustice must be remedied. An injustice without a remedy is abhorrent to the spirit of injustice. The Centre for Reparation Research stands with the indigenous peoples of the region whose ancestors encountered the full force of the colonial project on this day in 1492.
“Regrettably, 527 years later, the indigenous peoples of the region continue to experience the legacies of conquest, colonisation, and dehumanisation,” Shepherd said.
The Centre for Reparation Research, which was launched in October 2017, is located at The University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters in Jamaica.
It seeks to build awareness and conduct research that will advance CARICOM’s claim for reparation and restitution for native genocide, African enslavement, deceptive indentureship, and the negative legacies of colonialism that continue to stymie the Caribbean region’s social and economic development.