Royal Visit 2022 | No apology needed; pay us back, say western Rastas
Published:Wednesday | March 23, 2022 | 8:14 PM
Janet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The sounds of African drums heralded the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Caribbean Infantry Training Centre in Flankers, St. James this afternoon.
But as sweet as the beat of the rhythm was that caressed the atmosphere, the drummers were not celebrating the royal visit. The songs they did were in protest, as they called for reparation, denouncing the need for an apology from the monarch or her designates.
“They have never apologised for forcefully taking African people from the continent and bringing them down here in the west. So we as a people are not talking about forgiveness; you can only forgive people who acknowledge that they are wrong and are prepared to compensate those who they wronged,” said Ras Iyah V, one of the most vocal Rastafarians in the country.
He said the presence of the royals must serve as a reminder that the time has come for them to compensate blacks worldwide.
“They owe us trillions for the exploitation and colonisation of our ancestors,” he said.
Carrying a large flag with the words 'Reparation' written across the front, the other rastas at the entrance to the school compound spoke of Jamaica's role in building the UK.
“We would have been one of the richest countries if we weren't robbed of our natural resources,” said Kirkland 'Kiriko' Murray, as he spoke of how much money the queen paid to the slave owners.
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