Indigenous people across the Commonwealth want the king to address the settlement at this Saturday’s coronation. They want to recover objects and human remains that were collected as part of colonization.
Another challenge for Ilayaraja. Representatives and elected officials of twelve indigenous peoples colonized by the former British Empire are calling on Charles III to formally apologize for the effects of British colonization on his coronation this Saturday. Guardian.
The signatories are asking for a “formal apology” and demanding that a “restorative justice process” be carried out.
For this, they specifically want the wealth of the British Empire to be redistributed as compensation for colonialism. They also want to recover human remains and various objects collected by the United Kingdom during the British Empire.
The request was issued in the form of a letter titled “Apology, Compensation and Repatriation of Objects and Human Remains”. It was signed by representatives of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
“Genocide, Slavery and Discrimination”
“We, the undersigned, call on the British Monarchy, King Charles III, on his coronation day, May 6, 2023, to recognize the horrific consequences and legacy of genocide and colonization of indigenous and enslaved peoples,” they write.
The authors of the letter specifically denounced “hundred years of genocide, enslavement, discrimination, slaughter and racial discrimination carried out by the authorities, all under the protection of the British Crown”.
They want discussions on the “ever-visible effects of colonialism” to begin “immediately”. They recalled that during an exchange of views with Commonwealth heads of state last June, King Charles III recognized that “the time had come” to discuss the matter.
“Start the Justice Process”
A Maori Party representative in New Zealand is also calling for more rights for indigenous members of the Commonwealth in terms of “self-management, self-determination and autonomy in all matters”.
“We hope this request will start the process of justice,” said Australian Senator Lydia Thorpe, who is of Aboriginal descent.
Again, the elected Australian was highly critical of the British monarchy and a signatory to the letter who wanted to see his country leave the Commonwealth.
He calls for “Australia to break its ties with the Crown and move on and become a republic”, while lamenting that “Parliament and Prime Minister (of Australia) are subject to an ‘unelected’ man”.
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