On his official visit to Kenya, King Charles III acknowledged Britain’s colonial era “wrongdoings”. He also paid tribute to Kenyan soldiers who had participated in the first and Second World Wars on behalf of Britain. His visit coincided with Kenya’s 60th independence anniversary.
The legacy of colonial rule is similarly apparent in other east African contexts. German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier recently extended a similar gesture in Tanzania over the brutal suppression of anti-colonial movements. In 2020, Belgium’s King Philippe expressed regrets about the colonial legacy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
It is my view that these public acknowledgements of colonial legacy in east Africa by Britain, German and Belgium can be classified under the broad framework of transitional justice, as opposed to mere international relations or politics. Truth commissions: These are temporary quasi-judicial inquiries. They are normally commissioned by states to investigate previous wrongdoings and make recommendations.
Reparative justice: Apologies and memorials are forms of reparation. But these are incomplete without material aspects like restitution or monetary compensation to a group of victims. International law does not offer specific guidance on reparations for colonial state crimes. ADVERTISEMENT CONTINUE READING BELOW Britain could be guided on reparations by UN’s Articles on responsibility of states adopted by the International Law Commission in 2001.
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