JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
The Foundation for Peace Professionals, PeacePro, has called on the Pope, European governments, Arab states and other institutions that benefited from slavery to go beyond acknowledgments and take concrete measures of accountability.
In a statement from Executive Director Abdulrazaq Hamzat, PeacePro said a public apology and recognition of slavery as a crime against humanity is no longer sufficient. The group argues that institutions must also take into account the wealth, influence and institutional growth they have inherited from centuries of exploitation.
“Many institutions have recognized slavery as a crime against humanity. This recognition is welcome, but without accountability it risks becoming a symbolic gesture rather than a moral reckoning,” Hamzat said.
According to PeacePro, the focus of the global debate should shift from the question of whether slavery was wrong to the responsibilities that beneficiaries have today. The organization said the effects of slavery remain visible in inequality, development gaps and geopolitical imbalances.
Hamzat urged governments, churches, universities, companies, financial institutions and other entities linked to the transatlantic trade and other slave trades to conduct independent historical verification of their involvement. He said they should then make public the accrued benefits and design their own voluntary accountability measures.
“Accountability is most meaningful when it comes from the conscience of the beneficiary, not just the demands of the victim,” he said. PeacePro suggested that such measures could include educational programs, historic preservation, scholarships, development partnerships or investments in affected communities.
The group insisted that reconciliation requires moral responsibility, not just remembrance.
“The world has spent generations recognizing slavery. The next generation must focus on accountability,” PeacePro said.
