Indigenous organizations and leaders from 12 Commonwealth countries have called on King Charles III to apologize for the impact of British colonization on indigenous peoples, which they denounce as genocide, enslavement and plunder.
“We appeal to the British monarch, King Charles III, on his coronation day, 6th May 2023, to recognize the terrible impact and legacy of the genocide and colonization of indigenous and enslaved peoples,” he said on the social network. Facebook the promoter of the initiative, Nova Peris, former senator and co-chair of the Australian Republican Movement.
The petition urges the monarch to issue a formal apology, recognize British acts of genocide against Indigenous peoples and to repatriate sacred artifacts and remains of Indigenous peoples from British museums and institutions.
The letter, titled “Apologies, Reparations and Repatriation of Artifacts and Remains”, also reminds King Charles III of the United Kingdom of his words at a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government in June 2022 in Rwanda, where he stated that it was “time” to acknowledge the mistakes of the past.
Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – which have Charles III as their head of state – sign this letter in which they urge the Crown to “redistribute the wealth” taken from the original peoples.
The letter asks Charles III to “immediately” initiate a dialogue on the “lasting impact of slavery” on indigenous peoples during British colonization, as well as on other issues such as reparations for “oppressed peoples” whose “resources were plundered and their denigrated culture”.
Another demand is that the monarch renounce the so-called “Doctrine of the Discoveries”, as the Vatican did in March.
This doctrine, together with the principle of “Terra nullius” (no man’s land), generated a legal concept that protected colonization based on the right to requisition the lands of indigenous populations.
The signatories of the letter to Carlos III consider that the repudiation of this doctrine would allow starting the process of consultation and reparation among the native peoples who were victims of a genocide in the name of God.
“We hope that this petition will start a process of justice”, underlined Nova Peris.
*With Lusa
