From Caribbean360

NEW YORK, United States, Monday January 5, 2014, CMC – A major Black group here says it will host the next summit of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Reparations Commission early this year.

The New York-based Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) said on Saturday that the summit will take place from April 9-12.

The CARICOM Commission is chaired by Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor Designate of the University of the West Indies.

Inspired by the creation of the CARICOM Commission, a National African American Reparations Commission is being established as part of an effort to intensify the Reparations movement in the US, the IBW said.

It said the Commission will be dedicated to the memory of Audley Moore, one of the foremost proponents of Reparations in the history of Africans in America and a mentor to generations of Reparations activists.

IBW said in addition to the CARICOM and African American Commissions, representatives of Reparations movements from Central and South America, Canada and Europe are expected to participate in what is emerging as a Pan African Reparations Summit.

It said the programmes for the Summit will include formal business sessions; a dialogue between leaders of the Caribbean Diaspora in the US and the CARICOM Commission; meetings between the newly-formed African American Commission and the Caribbean Commission; Rallies in Harlem, considered the symbolic Capital of Black America; Brooklyn, home to the largest Caribbean community in the US; and a tribute to Congressman John Conyers, Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus and Sponsor of HR-40, the Reparations Study Bill, which he has introduced in the US Congress since 1989.

The IBW noted that, at the most recent Reparations Braintrust at the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, Sir Hilary urged participants to declare a “Conyers Decade of Reparatory Justice”.

“The tribute to Congressman Conyers will begin that process,” said the IBW, adding that there will also be special recognition of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N?COBRA) for “decades of ground-breaking work on the issue”.

IBW president Dr. Ron Daniels said that the National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC) will develop a Reparations Programme similar to the 10 Point Programme that has been adopted by the CARICOM Commission.

“The first step will be to devise an interim programme that NAARC will take to the people in a series of town hall meetings to receive input before adopting the final programme,” he said.

“The process of engaging people of African descent across the country, including young people, is incredibly important to strengthening the Reparations movement”.

The IBW said Sir Hilary has been “eager to have Reparations Commissions form in various countries to build a global movement for Reparatory Justice”.

The IBW said the activities for the CARICOM Reparations visit to the US will conclude with Sir Hilary travelling to Detroit for a Reparations Rally, which will be the climax to the Tribute to Conyers.

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