Prince William and Kate Middleton are likely to face protests calling for slavery reparations as their Caribbean tour takes them to Jamaica for a two-day stay.
Arranged by the Advocates Network, a human rights coalition of Jamaican activists and equalities organisations, a demonstration has been planned near the British High Commission in the capital, Kingston, at around 10.30am. this Tuesday, reported The Independent.
As the country marks its 60th anniversary of independence, co-organiser of the protest Nora Blake was cited by the outlet as saying:
Furthermore, an
open letter, which reads, “We will not participate in your Platinum Jubilee celebration!” has been signed by over a hundred prominent Jamaicans.
It accused British royals of perpetrating “the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind”, offering a 60-point breakdown of the reasons why an “apology and reparations” are warranted.
The letter goes on to urge the Duke of Cambridge to apologise “for British crimes against humanity, including but not limited to, the exploitation of the indigenous people of Jamaica, the transatlantic trafficking of Africans (and) the enslavement of Africans, indentureship and colocalisation”.
Earlier, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the Central American nation of Belize, with Kensington Palace confirming on Saturday that the couple’s first planned engagement at a cacao farm was scrapped following a protest by local residents about the royal family’s colonial ties, as well as plans to land a helicopter in a community sports field “without permission”.
Furthermore, residents from the indigenous Mayan village of Indian Creek, Toledo District, turned out to demonstrate against the royal visit, holding signs that read, “colonial legacy of theft continues with Prince” and “not your land, not your decision”.
According to royal experts, the couple’s Caribbean tour to Belize, Jamaica, and The Bahamas from 19 March to 26 March in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is part of a “charm offensive”.
The royals are purportedly seeking to shore up support for the monarchy in the Commonwealth after
Barbados became the latest country to remove the Queen as head of state while addressing “the atrocity of slavery”.
There are reportedly growing calls for Jamaica to follow suit. Currently, only 15 countries continue to recognise Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, including the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson was cited as saying that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were “very much looking forward” to thanking communities across Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas for showing their support for the Queen.