Open Letter to Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge Kate
Dear William and Kate:
We note with great concern your visit to our country Jamaica, during a period when we are still in the throes of a global pandemic and bracing for the full impact of another global crisis associated with the Russian/Ukraine war. Many Jamaicans are unaware of your visit as they struggle to cope with the horrendous fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by pre-existing social and economic hardships inherited from our colonial past.
We also note that your visit is part of the celebrations to mark the 70th Anniversary (Platinum Jubilee) of the Coronation of your grandmother and the 60th Anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence. We see no reason to celebrate 70 years of the ascension of your grandmother to the British throne because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, have perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind. Her ascension to the throne, in February 1952, took place 14 years after the 1938 labour uprisings against inhumane working/living conditions and treatment of workers; painful legacies of plantation slavery, which persist today.
During her 70 years on the throne, your grandmother has done nothing to redress and atone for the suffering of our ancestors that took place during her reign and/or during the entire period of British trafficking of Africans, enslavement, indentureship and colonialization.
In fact, on September 30, 2015 former Prime Minister (PM) David Cameron addressed a joint sitting of both houses of the Jamaican Parliament, and told us to “move on from this painful legacy,” merely acknowledging the “horrors of slavery” and asserting British leadership in the abolition of slavery. Many of us were outraged and demanded an apology through several open letters by former PM PJ Patterson, Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, and University of Technology, Jamaica professionals, as well as newspaper articles, including one by Dr Henley Morgan.[1] We still await an apology for the offensive and insensitive statements. We have not forgotten! As Cameron correctly noted: “these wounds run very deep.”
We, therefore, will not participate in your Platinum Jubilee celebration!
We will, however, celebrate 60 years of freedom from British colonial domination. We are saddened that more progress has not been made given the burden of our colonial inheritance. We nonetheless celebrate the many achievements of great Jamaicans who rejected negative, colonial self-concepts and who self-confidently succeeded against tremendous odds. We will also remember and celebrate our freedom fighters, including our National Heroes, who bravely fought against British tyrannical rule and abominable human rights abuses. We welcome you to join this celebration.
You, who may one day lead the British Monarchy, are direct beneficiaries of the wealth accumulated by the Royal family over centuries, including that stemming from the trafficking and enslavement of Africans. You therefore have the unique opportunity to redefine the relationship between the British Monarchy and the people of Jamaica. If you choose to do so, we urge you to start with an apology and recognition of the need for atonement and reparations. There are many reasons why we see this is an important and necessary way forward for you both and the generations to come. We have attached a list of only sixty (60) reasons in commemoration of our 60 years of freedom from British colonialization.
We urge you to reflect carefully on these 60 reasons why you should apologize and begin a process of reparatory justice. It is unconscionable that enslavers have been compensated under the Slave Compensation Act (1837), with some payments converted into 3.5% government annuities which lasted until 2015, yet to date there has been no compensation paid to the descendants of enslaved Africans.
We are of the view that an apology for British crimes against humanity, including but not limited to, the exploitation of the indigenous people of Jamaica, the transatlantic trafficking of Africans, the enslavement of Africans, indentureship and colonialization, is necessary to begin a process of healing, forgiveness, reconciliation and compensation.
We encourage you to act accordingly and just “sey yuh sorry!” Boldly lead a youthful generation in the hope that it is possible to create a future where: “the philosophy which hold one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned,” and where there is no “first class and second class citizens of any nation,” and where “the colour of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes” and, finally, where “basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race.”
These words were used by Emperor Haile Selassie I in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on 4 October 1963, and was made popular by Bob Marley in the song “War.” As a Rastafarian, Bob Marley embodied advocacy and is recognized globally for the principles of human rights, equality, reparations and repatriation. Use these words to create a new narrative and reality of PEACE for your generation and generations to come.
With Great Expectations!
The Advocates Network: #AdvocatesNetwork #Jamaica60 #WeNaaEaseUp
Prof Rosalea Hamilton, Advocates Network
Nora Blake, JP, Convener, No 9-Day Wonder, Advocates Network
Prof Opal Palmer Adisa, Adisa Consulting/Thursdays in Black, Advocates Network
Patricia Phillips, Advocates Network
P N. Grant, Advocates Network
Oberlene Smith, Advocates Network
Fr. Sean Major-Campbell, J.P. Anglican Priest & Advocate for Human Rights
Judith Wedderburn, Gender and Development Advocate
Diedre Hart-Chang, Human Rights Advocate
Dr. Henley Morgan, Social Entrepreneur
Prof Trevor Munroe, Civil Society Advocate
Mike Henry, Reparations Advocate for Chattel Slavery, One of the 2 longest serving MP in Jamaica
Jacqui Samuels-Brown, Attorney at Law
Hugh Small, Attorney-at-law
Bert Samuels, Attorney at Law
Manley (Big Youth) Buchanan, Musician and Freedom Advocate
Ernie Smith, Singer/Songwriter
Professor Grethel Bradford, Human Rights Advocate & Trauma Professional
Dr Anna Kasafi Perkins, Roman Catholic Theologian and Ethicist
Rev Jayson Downer, President, MoGAVA (Men of God Against Violence and Abuse)
Linnette Vassell, Gender & Social Justice Activist
Jeanette Calder, Accountability Advocate
Enith M. Williams, Founder/Executive Director, Reparations Finance Lab
Emma Lewis, Writer and Blogger
Dr. Maziki Thame, Senior Lecturer, UWI, Mona
Indi Mclymont-Lafayette, Development Communications Specialist
Rukie Wilson, Jamaica Diaspora Member in Washington, D.C.
Clarence Reynolds, President, Rennalls International LLC
Rachel Dolcine, MPA, CPM, CEO, Compass Consulting & Training Solutions
Rosemarie Francis-Binder, Stand Up for Jamaica, Germany
Clinton Hutton, Scholar
Mekelia Green, Attorney-at-Law
Shirley Duncan, Advocates Network
Hugh Thompson, Retired Jamaican
Pat Bernard, Attorney at Law
Patrick Euston, Retired Jamaican
Hyman Wright, aka “Jah Life,” “Backawall,” Music Producer, Entrepreneur
Desmond Shakespeare (Shaks), Industrial Engineer
Lorna Wilson-Morgan PhD, Security Advisor (Retired)
George Golding, Entertainment Consultant
Rev. Newton G.A. Dixon, African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church
Kenneth Delano Rowe, Pan-Africanist
Imani Duncan-Price, Gender and Development Activist, Former Senator
Mishka Parkins, Consultant, Human Rights Advocate
Marvia Parkins, Educator, Human Rights Advocate
Paul Irving, Educational Psychologist
KaBu Ma’at Kheru, Talk Show Host
Lois E. Grant (Nzingha) Communications Consultant
Lorna E Green, Convenor, Women Business Owner Ltd.
Andrew Neita, Engineer
Copeland Fisher, Retired Jamaican
Paul Burke, PNP NEC Life Member
Glynis Hay, Educator
Marcia Swaby, Retired Teacher
Christopher Malcolm, Jamaican without allegiance to the Crown
Claudette Cameron-Stewart, Jamaican Diaspora Organizer
Mark Cameron, Co Convener, UIC
Andre Simpson, CEO, Higher Thinka
Gillian Fox-Crosskill, Human Resources Manager
Joseph L Patterson, UIC Jamaica President
Eroll Walters, Jamaican Diaspora
Sharon Wolfe, Administrator
Dr Calvin Solomon, Medical Doctor
Acinette Nelson, Jamaica Diaspora
Yola Grey Baker, Fashion Designer
Anthony White, Jamaica Research Project
Bevenisha Moodie-Osawaru, Management Consultant
Dr Caroline Dyche (PhD), Lecturer, UWI Mona
Roy Phillips, retired Civil Servant
Sidonie Donald-DePass, retired Matron, Spanish Town Hospital
Victor J.N. Cummings, Former Member of Parliament
Elaine Wint, Corporate Trainer/Coach
Saba Igbe, Writer, Student
Jonathan P. H. Burke, St. Mary Farmer
Osmond Tomlinson, Medical Doctor
Jacqueline Francis, Medical Doctor
Dr Paul Allwood, Jamaica Diaspora
Kenyama Brown, Minister of Foreign Affairs, The State of the African Diaspora (SOAD)
Tehuti Ra Hujae, member of the People’s Anti-Corruption Movement
Topaz Cole, Natural by Nature’s Farm and Agro processing
Glen Brown (GB), Human Rights Advocate
Donna AM Mattis, Teacher, Human and Social Rights Activist, Blogger, Member of People’s Anti-Corruption Movement
Richard Marsh, Marine Biologist
Arlene McKenzie, Freelance Community Tourism Consultant
Maxine Stowe, Director, Ethio Africa Diaspora Union Millennium Council aka Rastafari Millenium Council
Priest Wesley Kelly, Haile Selassie 1 Royal Ethiopian Judah Coptic Church
Priest Bongo Leo, Stony Gut, Nyahbinghi Tabernacle
Hugh Johnson, Rep, Bernard Lodge Farmers Group and Immediate Past President SBAJ
Osunya Minott, Black Roots Records
Carlton Livingston, Executor, Bunny Wailer Estate
Angela Pinnock, Medical Professional
Errol Kong, aka Ricky Storm Jah warrior
Trudy Knockless, Business of Law Journalist, NY
Camica Fuller, Jamaican mother
Theo Chambers, Wellness Consultant and Humanitarian
Sharon Parris-Chambers, Founding Director, Temple of Inner Peace and Humanitarian
Donna Brown, Jamaica Diaspora
Andrea Prendergast, Mother
Dr Joan Shaw-Johnson, Jamaican Citizen
.Stand Up For Jamaica (non-profit organization)
The Advocates Network is an unincorporated, non-partisan alliance of individuals and organizations advocating for human rights and good governance to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people of Jamaica and to transform lives. Our core objective is to forge an effective, broad-based collaboration of individuals and civil society organizations to support human rights and good governance issues. For more information, email: Advocatesnet@gmail.com
[1] See Open Letter by PJ Patterson’s: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20151008/full-text-pj-slams-david-cameron-are-we-not-worthy-he-asks ; Open Letter by Hilary Beckles: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/commentary/20150928/open-letter-prime-minister-david-cameron ; Open Letter by 12 UTech Professionals: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/focus/20151018/open-letter-british-prime-minister-david-cameron ; and Henley Morgan’s call for Apology & Reparation for Garrison Victims: https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/Apology-and-reparation-for-garrison-victims_19232508
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