The Portuguese government’s stance comes a week after black women’s organizations in Brazil demanded that the European country be held responsible for centuries of slavery and asked Lisbon to commit to reparation actions.
The Marielle Franco Institute, Odara – Instituto da Mulher Negra, Redes da Maré, Fundo Agbara, Movimento Mulheres Negras Decidem and Observatório da Mulher Negra protested against Portuguese diplomacy and expressed “profound irresignation in the face of the absolute lack of positioning of the Portuguese Republic regarding concrete measures of reparation to the black Brazilian population for the profound damage caused by slavery and transatlantic trafficking, serious crimes against humanity”.
The declaration had been issued after the Portuguese government, during debates at the UN, made a speech combating racism. But he did not make any commitment or offer reparation measures in the face of slavery.
According to the Portuguese delegation, combating racism is a priority in the country. Portugal admitted that this phenomenon “has a history”. But, at that moment, he limited himself to saying that it was a “story of the transatlantic slave trade, which we believe constituted a crime against humanity and the history of colonialism.”
Portuguese diplomacy admitted the “importance of looking at the past and reconciliation processes”. But he insisted that he has “eyes on the future” for “concrete solutions” so that people of African descent have their rights respected.
Faced with the speech, the reaction of black Brazilian women was almost immediate. “During the period in which the Portuguese slavery system was in force, more than a million people were kidnapped from different parts of the African continent, being immediately subjected to different forms of discrimination and violence”, said the entities.
Tags: Brazil work Portugal adopt concrete reparation measures
