This Friday, June 19, members of the european parliament voted for a resolution symbolic to recognize the trans-atlantic slave trade as “crime against humanity”. This resolution passed with a large majority is more generally a condemnation of racism and begins thus : “the lives of black account“.
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Published June 19, 2020 at 21h54, updated on June 19, 2020 at 22h31
The resolution passed on Friday 19 June in the european Parliament to recognize the institution of slavery as a “crime against humanity” is fraught with symbols, while the whole world wonders about racism after the death of George Floyd in the United States. It has been adopted by a large majority : 493 votes in favour, 104 against and 67 abstentions. Here is the adopted text :
The european Parliament invites the institutions and the member States of the european Union to officially recognize the injustices of the past and the crimes against humanity committed against black people and people of colour ; declares that the slave trade is a crime against humanity and demand that the 2 of December be designated as the european Day of commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade ; encourages member States to include the history of black people and people of color in their school programs.
The story of Kelly Pujar, overseas the 1st / France Ô :
May 21, 2001, France had voted for the recognition of trafficking and slavery as a crime against humanity through the law Taubira, the name of the member guyanese Christiane Taubira, who was at the origin of the bill, before becoming the rapporteur of the national Assembly.
Resolution against racism
On the proposal of the mep from the reunion island, Younous Omarjee, it has been integrated to the resolution on the protests against racism, studied this day in Brussels.
According to the member of the european parliament Younous Omarjee, Emmanuel Macron has “fault“by moving to the side of a historical movement
The text of eleven pages has been worn by 5 of the 7 groups of the Parliament and begins with an affirmation : “the lives of black account“. A reprise of the slogan “Black lives matter“, chanted throughout the world in all manifestations of anti-racists.
The explanations of Valéry Lerouge, a correspondent for France Télévisions in Brussels :
A strong symbol
“It is important that the european Parliament makes an act of civilization“said Younous Omarjee at France Télévisions, before the vote. “In this moment, the memory, and the symbolic acts have a great importance”. During a speech in the chamber on Wednesday 17 June, the parliament had discussed the need to look at european history “with clarity” and to have “the courage of the acts and symbols”.
We need to see that this event refers to the centuries of domination of Blacks in the United States and inequality of conditions in Europe. Keep in mind that our european history has always swung, like a pendulum, between barbarism and civilization. As it is in Europe, despite the reason, despite the Lights, the worst theories of hierarchy of the races are born to justify the conquests, to justify slavery, to justify the colonization and to justify the Holocaust.
– Younous Omarjee, member of the european parliament (BIA)
Younous Omarjee in Brussels, a few minutes before the vote on the resolution :
Europe in the face of racism
In total, twenty-eight points are addressed in the resolution, adopted by a large majority. It invites the institutions and the member States of the european Union to officially recognize the injustices of the past and the crimes against humanity committed against black people and people of colour”. This will, among other things, by its inclusion in the school curriculum of the “history of black people and people of color”. The resolution also proposes to make the 2 December for a european Day of commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade.
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