King Charles must confront the British royal family's past behavior.Image: trapezoid
In some Commonwealth governments, it took place on the sidelines of a summit with King Charles III. Debate over potential compensation payments from the mother country to its former colonies has come to light. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that issues such as slavery reparations were not on the agenda for a Commonwealth summit in Samoa. Politicians from Caribbean and African countries have previously called for a debate on the issue.
It was initially unclear whether the subject of reparations should appear in the text of the final communiqué of the Samoa Conference. Britain has announced its willingness to do so, but is unwilling to commit to actual services, the Palestinian News Agency reported.
Starmer: Must recognize our shared history
Starmer said in a speech to the heads of government of the Commonwealth countries: “We must acknowledge our shared history, even if it is difficult.” King Charles III, who also serves as the head of state of several Commonwealth countries, has previously made similar statements statement. “As I listen to the voices of people across the Commonwealth, I understand that the most painful aspects of our past still resonate,” he said. “It is therefore vital to understand our history so that we can make the right decisions in a future where inequality is widespread.”
Charles also warned of the effects of climate change. In his opening address to representatives of the 56 member states, the monarch said everything possible must be done to reduce emissions. These include countries in Africa and South Asia and the Caribbean and Pacific regions, as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Threatened with extinction
“This year alone we have experienced horrific storms in the Caribbean, devastating floods in East Africa and catastrophic wildfires in Canada,” said Charles, calling for decisive action to halt rising global temperatures and build resilience to their impacts .
The issue has long been a concern for the king and is one of the key points on the agenda for the two-day summit. Many islands in the Pacific, including Samoa, are destined to collapse due to rising sea levels. “Climate change is the greatest threat to the survival and security of our Pacific peoples,” said Samoa's Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'a'afa.
The Australian people strongly protested: “You are not our king!”
In Australia, where Charles and his wife Camilla embarked on their journey last weekend, there was a scandal in Parliament. An Aboriginal senator verbally attacked the king and shouted into the hall: “You are not my king, you are not our king! Give us our country back!” During the visit, Charles also met with Aboriginal people Representatives and listen to their stories.
It was Charles' first long-distance trip since he revealed he had cancer months ago. According to British media reports, he interrupted his treatment due to the visit. (Sudanese Development Authority/Department of Political Affairs)
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