Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com
ST THOMAS, USVI: The president of the African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance (ACRRA), Shelley Moorhead, spoke with Caribbean Net News by phone on Saturday about progress made toward a Plan of Action between the Alliance, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights. The 31 year old mediator has been touring Denmark since August 21 and is currently in Denmark.
At the age of 19 years, Moorhead left St. Croix on a journey to Israel "in search of his roots". During a 1995 trip he was surprised to find that Africans from various parts of the world had re-settled there and built a thriving community.
An article in The Jerusalem Post (November19, 2004) refers to the self-proclaimed, "Black Hebrews" as untapped ambassadors. "This group provides us with a golden opportunity to show the African-American community the tolerant side of Israeli society, a side they don't generally see."
This Hebrew Israelite community is comprised of approximately 1,500 African-Americans, the largest such organized re-settlement outside the United States. It is a strong belief that a black, Hebrew Israelite people are members of a lost tribe of Jerusalem that impacts the philosophical approach Moorhead takes in nurturing the reparations movement between the Virgin Islands and Denmark. This is the reason why he does not hold Europeans completely responsible for the enslavement of Africans.
Mr. Moorhead went on to attend the School of the Prophets Institute of Jerusalem; obtaining a BA degree in International Diplomacy and Public Relations, and an MA degree in Biblical History and Hermeneutic Studies.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the "African-Caribbean and Resettlement Alliance" and "The Danish Institute for Human Rights", on April 11, 2005. ACRRA's approach to beginning Reparations negotiations is unique. Rather than seeking monetary or economic gain from a national governing body, the Alliance seeks to make possible a spiritual healing for the present citizens of Denmark and the Virgin Islands. That process is being carved out by the Joint Task Force.
Moorehead told Caribbean Net News, "Those who enslaved Africans were dehumanized in the process, as well. Their humanity was altered, and they have never recovered."
While Moorhead made it clear that much has been accomplished as a result of this second visit to Denmark since the signing of the Memorandum however, the Joint Task Force is not yet prepared to share details of the Plan of Action with the public until every aspect has been finalized.
He further stated, "The response from the Virgin islands community to the work of the Alliance has been overwhelming in the form of Emails and phone calls."
The memorandum states: "Whereas during the period of 1671 to 1848, people of Africa were unjustly transported to the Danish West Indies by trading companies under the authority of the King of Denmark, and were forced into chattel slavery" and, "Whereas in 1917, for $25,000,000 in gold bullion, the Kingdom of Denmark sold the Danish West Indies to the United States of America without consulting the descendants of the enslaved Africans."
Moorhead explained that the term "chattel" as used at the time, comes from the Anglo-French, cattle, and means "an item of tangible movable or imovable property except real estate and things (as buildings) connected with real property.
Moorhead pointed out that "slavery continued in spite of the abolishment of slavery in the Virgin islands by Denmark on July 3, 1848." Denmark was also the first European country to abolish slavery in 1803, yet it continued in the Virgin islands under Danish rule until that year.
When asked what he thought about the fact that the US Virgin Islands has formally requested permission from the federal government to become involved with CARICOM, Moorhead told Caribbean Net News, "It is a very good move in and of itself, but to have to seek approval from a colonial establishment does not make sense."
"We need to realize our own self-determination," he added.
A documentary that chronicles the Task Force Reparations process is under way in Denmark by Danish film maker Anker Li. Moorhead said, "It shares the colonial history between Denmark and the Virgin Islands though the prism of a modern day initiative."
He plans to return to St. Croix on September 16. He told Caribbean Net News that he is aware of the escalating racial tension which has surfaced on St. John. He plans to organize a community forum on that island, upon his return.
The Memorandum of Understanding, which is signed by Morten Kjaerum, Executive Director of the Danish Institute for Human Rights and Moorhead, states that the Joint Task Force has 180 days to complete the plan. Moorhead said that it would be made available to the public by October 11.
While there were initially 30 individuals asked to join the Alliance, membership will be expanded after the Plan of Action is complete.
Caribbean Net News will be providing further updates on ACRRA activities.
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