Errol Hewitt, Contributor

"In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them and their destruction has not been sleeping." (2 Peter 2:3)

Recently, a writer to this newspaper set the cat among the pigeons by stating that Prime Minister Blair of the United Kingdom had no reason to apologise about Britain's role in slavery and the slave trade; rather the apology should come from those blacks in Africa who initially sold their own into slavery.

While this reflects a kernel of truth, it clearly demonstrates how little we know of all our history and (unfortunately) of ourselves. This and the reality that full freedom has still not been obtained, point a finger at where a good portion of the guilt lies.

Slavery existed in Africa before 1400 and slaves were largely traded as a result of very localised wars. The intervention of the Europeans transformed local slavery into a systematic dehumanised commercial operation unimagined by the Africans in the totality of its grinding cruelty, degradation and exploitation. In recent conversations in Africa with Ghanaians, Nigerians, etc; they shamefully agreed to the guilt of selling their own to the white slave traders, but assert that based on the then practices, they could have had no idea of the lifelong crushing and unrelenting cruelty that our ancestors suffered, generation after generation for over 250 years.

The Africans purchased weapons from the Europeans because of the need to secure internal trade and ironically to protect their communities from "illegal traders and kidnappers (many of them Europeans)". The Europeans competing among themselves found it beneficial instigating divisions among the Africans, leading to inter-tribal wars that facilitated their purchase of the resulting prisoners. This deprived Africa of a prime segment of its population and left a legacy of wars over subsequent centuries, devastating both the indigenous population and the economic structures. Conversely, it generated great national wealth in the European countries, laying the foundation for modern capitalism and facilitated the colonising of Africa and the creation of artificial borders, which are an excruciating problem to this day.

The crime of slavery

Much has been written about the infamous 'middle passage' across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. In fact, many writers, at a loss to describe the horror adequately, in frustration liken it to the Holocaust. But it was worse! Our African forebears were packed "like books on a shelf" in the bottom of the ships with about 20 per cent dying on the way. Most of these deaths were due to gastro-intestinal disease (known as the 'bloody flux') resulting from the communal feeding bowls and filthy conditions, from epidemics of smallpox and starvation when the voyage was prolonged because of the weather. Often many who died were not quickly discovered, remaining chained to those around them.

In the Americas within the first four years, an average of 33 per cent died as a result of adjusting to the brutality, culture, and living conditions. Slavery involved utterly degrading circumstances on the plantation, the crippling fear of the flesh stripping whip, ownership of nothing, not even self! Control of nothing, not even one's sexual activity or children! Subject to be sold and re-branded at any time. Survival existence at hard labour, forced to help make the dominant power wealthy under the most brutal of circumstances! In response the slaves evidenced a tenacity and commitment to survive, a determination to ensure that the destiny of a people would not be perpetual slavery, but rather freedom and independence - to become the best that they can be, which kept them and their hope alive.

Crops produced by the slaves (sugar, tobacco, etc.) fueled the foundation of Britain's wealth the industrial revolution, the development of the ports of London, Liverpool and Bristol and libraries of some still very famous British universities. Interestingly, while the wealth of the slave and plantation owners made them fully accepted in British society, its source was politely referred to as from "overseas interests".

The work towards the abolition of the slave trade and slavery was led by men such as Parliamentarian William Wilberforce, the lobbyist Thomas Clarkson, and were supported by auto-biographies of ex-slaves such as Ignatius Sancho and Olaudah Equiano; the work of Christian women especially among the Quakers; the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, and later on, the Anti-Slavery Committee among others such as Josiah Wedgwood. Prior to the 1833 approval of the abolition legislation, Wilberforce's two previous attempts were rejected.

Giving effect to those efforts were the revolts and sabotage efforts of the slaves that continued in the Caribbean throughout the entirety of slavery. For example, the 1735 rebellion in Antigua; in Jamaica the 1730-1739 Maroon War and Tacky's in 1760; in the 1790s the uprising in Haiti securing independence from France, the second Maroon War and rebellions in Grenada and St. Vincent. Approaching the abolition, there was the 1823 uprising in Demerara and the major slave revolt in Jamaica. 'The Baptists' War' in 1831, which, led by Baptist preacher Sam Sharpe, was brutally suppressed. These were financially costly and in the face of the emerging economic advantages in India, made abolition more urgently irresistible as the earnings were now declining.

Emancipation - its outcome

At emancipation, the white plantation owners were financially recompensed, but the slaves began this concept of freedom with virtually nothing, devoid of an identity, history and culture; continuing exploitation by the plantation owners, yet frustrated in their efforts to acquire land and committed by race, colour and history to the bottom of the socio-economic system. Despite the comparative advantages of the 128 years of colonialism in Jamaica, the bottom line was that the descendants of the slaves were in the same socio-economic position "hewers of wood and drawers of water."

The sufferings of our forefathers through the 'middle passage' and slavery and then the struggles of Paul Bogle, William Gordon, and others were focused on hastening the process to attain full freedom for all. The generation of leaders at the attainment of political independence understood the yearning of a people struggling from slavery and committing all to the attainment of genuine freedom and a full life for all. They understood that personal freedom and political independence were but stepping stones to "full free" and therefore challenged the succeeding generation to strive for economic independence and thereby the possibility of all realising their full potential if they chose.

Deliberate, calculated

Britain and Europe were wide-eyed and deliberate in operating slavery for over 250 years. They knew what they were doing and they got all they wanted out of it our forced labour to help make them wealthy and dominant over the world. Mr. Blair's words of remorse is posturing and a protocol requirement, anything more is an admission of blame that, as in the case of the Holocaust survivors, suggests legal liability, which those governments are not prepared to honour. Morality and "principle" seem only in use when the 'spin' requires it. Amazingly, our people retain no rancour against the descendants of the slave owners.

Slavery and colonialism left our people with psychological scars, an exclusion oriented socio-economic system and our increasingly dominant industry, tourism, paying marginal wages and exporting the bulk of its earnings. It left us with our best asset, our people, just surviving economically and unaware of their history, culture or really knowing themselves.

It left us with an education system and a government administration structured on colonial orientations rather than being organised to deliver the aims and objectives of an agreed national strategic plan, itself based on our considered best options for national progress.

But, in all this, we have seen a resilient people in a fertile land - a people with sky-high abilities, who have proven this in countries that have given them the opportunity to excel. Today's world is still dominated by the descendants of former slave owners and colonial powers, but history and justice require us not to allow the question of reparation to be obfuscated.

Sincere remorse for anything triggers a need to make things right and while we have seen this in some individuals in these countries yet taking national responsibility is a commitment that is not forthcoming.

Regrettably, most nationals of these countries see no continuing benefit to them today from the forced labour, abuse and murder of African slaves because the account of history they are exposed to is the jaundiced view of the conqueror. They, like many of our own people are unacquainted with the truth of history [and many don't want to know] and this need urgently to be corrected. They are unaware of the psycholo-gical and socio-economic liabilities literally embedded in the lives of the descendants of those slaves.

At the same time, it is obvious that we must take full charge of ourselves and address the issues before us competently and with serious commitment. Today, we have detailed knowledge of what occurred and why. If our leaders turned their backs on the people's journey to "full free" and instead "sell" them yet again by adopting the roles of the slave owners and colonial masters over their own fellow descendants of slaves, then surely this is the greatest crime requiring the greatest punishment.

"The person who has eaten and satisfied himself or herself does not care for the one who is hungry." (Tanzanian saying.)

Errol Hewitt is an information and communication technology planning consultant with the United Nations and the Commonwealth Secretariat.