The Tribune

Last week, excerpts from the press statement by The Bahamas National Reparations on the upcoming visit by the British Crown were shared in this space. As it seemed to have been the first time some people became aware of the Committee, I invited the Chair of the BNRC, Niambi Hall Campbell Dean, PhD, to answer a few questions to help the public to understand the Committee and its work.

What is The Bahamas National Reparations Committee (BNRC)? How is it related to and engaging with the CARICOM Reparations Committee?

The BNRC is a committee convened by the Government of The Bahamas in 2013 to carry out the local mandate of the larger CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC) and, as such, is a member of the CRC.

The CARICOM Reparations Commission is described on its website as “a regional body created (in 2013) to establish the moral, ethical and legal case for the payment of Reparations by the Governments of all the former colonial powers and the relevant institutions of those countries, to the nations and people of the Caribbean Community for the Crimes against Humanity of Native Genocide, the Trans-Atlantic trafficking in enslaved Africans and a racialised system of chattel Slavery.”

How is the BNRC advocating for reparations? What are your activities?

Our advocacy has multiple forms and is both external and internal. In our call for external reparations, we have engaged in letter-writing campaigns, social and traditional media campaigns, and hosted seminars, conferences, talks, historical tours, and school campaigns. We have travelled internationally to help shape calls for reparations throughout the region, Africa, and the United Nations. Locally, we are focused on issues such as land reform, which outlines ways in which our local governments can loosen the shackles of colonization from our governmental systems.

What is the legal basis for the demand for reparations?

From a layperson's perspective, the basic legal claim is that slavery is a crime now and it was a crime then. In the words of Panashe Chigumadzi, rapporteur for the African Union committee of experts on reparations, “a crime does not rot.”

What is the future that the BNRC imagines for The Bahamas, with reparations paid?

Our ultimate goal is a future in which our systems are free of impeding legacies of enslavement and colonialism. Reparations are not merely an exchange of funds. They are an attempt to right a wrong, and at the core, we are calling for a systemic change in the way that the world is structured that has resulted in the demise of our climate and environments. A land in which all are educated to the truths of who they are and economically, physically, and spiritually free to exist as their true selves.

What compels people to join the BNRC?

Reparations as a movement that has long and deep roots in our communities with Rastafari as the first unified voice to call for them but our ancestors have been advocating for reparations from the moment of our capture. I think reparations speaks to the natural desire for people to be free and speaks to a desire for justice and that this is why people do this work.

You can learn more about the Committee and join our efforts by following us on Instagram at @242reparations, on Facebook at Bahamas Reparations Committee, or emailing us at bnrc242@gmail.com

Thank you to the Chair for her responses. I encourage all Bahamians and residents of The Bahamas to follow the BNRC on social media and to support its activities.

The genocide of Palestinians continues

Though media coverage has waned, the genocide by “Israel” against the Palestinian people continues. Macklemore, on Ed Sheeran’s US Loop Tour, gave a short speech between songs on September 4. In it, he said, “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine.”

On September 5, Macklemore spoke directly to Jewish people in the audience. He said, “Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace, love; for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”

His comments, predictably, resulted in backlash as his pro-Palestinian position was intentionally conflated with antisemitism. Some organizations took to social media to complain about Macklemore saying, “Free Palestine,” and pretending to feel unsafe (beyond the threat that the rest of the world will see what “Israel” is doing and rise up to stop the genocide). Recording artist Pink shared one such post, faced criticism, and doubled down, citing her own “fear” as a Jewish mother.

On September 14, Macklemore announced that he was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour. In his Instagram post, he said, “Last Monday, in the middle of all the media attention surrounding Pink and what I said at MetLife, Ed told me that Robert Kraft called him. We were scheduled to play Gillette Stadium later this month, which is owned by the Kraft Group. Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: If Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”

It is not surprising that Ed Sheeran decided to side with genocide while pretending to that “neutral” is a real position that can be held in a case like this. There are only two positions—for the end of genocide and liberation of all peoples, and for the continuation of genocide to the benefit of colonizers and capitalism. The wealthy are trading the lives of marginalized people to amass more wealth through the control of resources on the lands they devastated and strip of their peoples. It is not even surprising when considering that Ed Sheeran and Macklemore are or were friends. Relationships do not matter to people whose primary goal is to be and remain wealthy. For them, there is no price that is too high.

In his post, Macklemore noted that a pro-Palestine position can cost money, brand deals, and relationships. He, however, opened his statement by clearly stating that he is not a victim in this situation. “I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim. We have careers, money, opportunities, safety, and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families. The victims are the Palestinian people.”

There need not be any sympathy for Macklemore. He knew the risk, and he knew that it was more important to take a stand than to be silent on an issue that now needs more people to speak up to as many other people as possible. He, as he stated, has the resources he needs and can return to his family unscathed. This pop culture moment is a lesson in organizing.

Key takeaways

This incident is a reminder that power and wealth always find ways to work together to protect themselves. Kraft wasted no time in calling on other people with similar interests in taking action to remove Macklemore from the stage while forcing Ed Sheeran to side with them and against the Palestinian people. It is an illustration of what happens all over the world to coerce people into silence and inaction.

It is also a demonstration of the requirements of organizing—recognizing shared interest, building partnerships on that basis, and moving boldly to take collective action. This is the kind of organizing and power building that will get us to reparations, and it is the reason The Bahamas National Reparations Committee and the CARICOM Reparations Commission exist. Support their work.