October 30, Bissau - The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Guinea Bissau granted citizenship to eight more Afrodescendants: six Balanta descendants - Anginette Richelle Browder, Arshaad Kiongozi Ujuzi Rahh, Raul Jose Garcia, Robin Delephine Adele Rue, Keith Byron Otuomagi, and Maurice Banda - and two Fula descendants - Marcus Bourn and Matthew Christopher Brown.
The decision from the Council of Ministers follows the intervention of the President of the Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America, Mr. Siphiwe Baleka who, on October 14th, urged the Council of Ministers to approve the citizenships. Then, on October 28th at the 85th Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), Mr. Baleka called attention to Guinea Bissau’s efforts to recognize the Right of Return of Afrodescendants of Guinean origin.
“It is a miracle that people who have suffered six or more generations of ethnocide are now being welcomed to their ancestral homeland as FULL brothers and sisters, as CITIZENS,” said Mr. Baleka. “This is the true spirit of reparations, and those countries which are fulfilling their obligations will be blessed by the Almighty Creator.”
- BBHAGSIA President Siphiwe Baleka