Us Votes Against Un Resolution Labeling Slavery As A Crime

Alistair Lowe
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us votes against un resolution labeling slavery as a crime

US votes against UN resolution labeling slavery as a ‘crime against humanity’ The U.S. was one of three members of the United Nations that voted against a General Assembly resolution Wednesday calling the trafficking of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity.” The U.S., Argentina and Israel were the only nations among the 193-member body that voted against the resolution. The final vote was 123-3 as 52 nations -- including the United Kingdom and all 27 members of the European Union -- abstained from the vote.

The resolution included a call for reparations as a step toward “remedying historical wrongs,” according to the Associated Press. The resolution also sought “the prompt and unhindered restitution” of cultural items belonging to African nations, including artworks, documents, monuments, museum pieces and national archives at no cost to the nations. Prior to the vote, deputy U.S. ambassador Dan Negrea spoke against the idea of reparations. Negrea said that while the U.S.

opposes the wrongs of slavery, it does not support reparations for actions that were not illegal under international law at the time. “The United States also strongly objects to the resolution’s attempt to rank crimes against humanity in any type of hierarchy,” Negrea said. “The assertion that some crimes against humanity are less severe than others objectively diminishes the suffering of countless victims and survivors of other atrocities throughout history.” Also speaking before the vote was Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who was one of the architects of the resolution.

“Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice,” Mahama said. “The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting. “Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery.” While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they tend to serve as a reflection of world opinion, the AP reports. Only resolutions passed by the U.N. Security Council are legally binding.

As part of the resolution, nations are encouraged to have talks “on reparatory justice, including a full and formal apology, measures of restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, guarantees of non-repetition and changes to laws, programs and services to address racism and systemic discrimination.” Read the original article on mlive.com. Add mlive.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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