What Real Reparations Looks Like: A Visit to the Balanta Village in Rucuto, Guinea Bissau

On Thursday, October 26, 2023, I went to visit a Balanta community in the Rucuto tabanca (village). The visit was requested after word spread that I had traveled to the United Nations and demanded reparations for Balanta people recently while confronting the U.S. State Department for its state-sanctioned ethnocide against the Balanta people in America and the violation of their rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Geneva Convention. The visit was part of my CALL TO ORGANIZE BALANTA PEOPLE WORLDWIDE in order that they can exercise their rights under international law since no government, not even the government of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, is protecting them. Thus, it must be Balanta people themselves, working on both sides of the Atlantic and wherever they find themselves, who must take responsiblility for their own well-being and development. Like Amilcar Cabral, I realized I must travel throughout Guinea Bissau, visit the Balanta villages, and organize them one by one.

So on the morning of October 26, I and Daniel Nabicamba, Founder of the Dafana Institute, set off to visit the Balanta people living in Rucuto, about 45 kilometers from the capital city of Bissau. The gallery of photos and the videos below will tell the story and show you what happened. But it’s important to say now how we got to this point in order to emphasize that

THIS IS WHAT REAL REPARATIONS LOOKS LIKE!

Let’s review:

1. In the 1760’s, a boy from a village in Untche (in modern day Guinea Bissau) was captured and taken prisoner at the slave fort in Cacheu and trafficked to Charleston, South Carolina were he was subjected to “Negro Codes” that amounted to state-sanctioned ethnocide and was subsequently subjected to chattel enslavement. Here is the actual historical documentation.

2. The history of my family in America is thus told from the point of view that we are captured Balanta prisoners of war held under the jurisdiction of the United States suffering political and economic slavery created through the forced citizenship erroneously imposed by the 14th amendment of the US Constitution without our consent.

3. On September 28, 2010, I took a DNA test and discovered my Balanta paternal origins. This began the process of repairing from ethnocide and chattel enslavement. Since then, I have been preserving my ancestral culture and language. In 2019 I founded the Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America and I published the three-volume Balanta B’urassa, My Sons: Those Who Resist Remain - the first comprehensive history of the Balanta People from their pre-Kemetic origins. I also published Balanta Kentohé Language Lessons Series 1 , 2 and 3 complete with 35 free video lessons.

4. In January of 2020, I made my first vist to Guinea Bissau, started negotiations with the government, met with Balanta elders, and distributed free Balanta language books in the villages. This resulted in the ground-breaking Decade of Return Initiative and the Citizenship Program for the Balanta prisoners of war in America.

5. Members of the Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America have been resposible for renovating a Headquarters that served as the Olympic Training Center for the Guine Bissau Olympic Swim Team, providing naming ceremonies for Balanta prisoners of war in America, distributing food in nine Balanta villages, helping five groups of Balanta, Fula, Djola and Brame descendants return to their ancestral homeland, established the Lineage Restoration Council of Guinea Bissau, served as the Patron and financial sponser of the Sports Society of Guinea Bissau senior girls futbol team that won the league championship in 2023 and placed three players on the women’s National team, represented Guinea Bissau for the first time in the African Continental Swimming Championships while establishing the Guinea Bissaus Swimming Federation and much more.

6. The ultimate result has been a sustained diplomatic and development effort for Balanta people on both sides of the Atlantic.

THE ONLY THING MISSING HAS BEEN RECOGNITION AND FUNDING TO FURTHER REPAIR THE CONNECTION AND IMPROVE THE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE RURAL VILLAGES

On Friday, October 27, I was informed that the two proposals I submitted to the Decolonizing Wealth Project - Liberated Capital’s Case for Reparations Fund were rejected. That was $225,000 that was going to be used to bring development to Balanta people on both sides of the Atlantic.

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During my visit, my Balanta hosts showed me the vast acres of rice fields that they plant and harvest by hand. What they wanted was a single tractor! Later, they showed me a break in their construction and they wanted to send a team to fix it which would require a team to stay there for 3 or 4 days. All they needed was a 50 kilogram bag of rice so that they could eat and work. Fortunately, BBHAGSIA member Nicole Holmes donated the money and the work has commenced.

All of this is to say that the purpose of reparations is to repair the damage done after a war to the communities that were invaded in Africa, and the people who were harmed, starting with the prisoners of war that were trafficked, enslaved and suffered ethnocide. My life is now a living example that repair and recovery from eight generations of ethnocide is possible and this is what it looks like - experiencing and bringing the physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social, economic and political transformation necessary to Africans at home and abroad as one people!

A Visit to the Balanta Village in Rucuto, Guinea Bissau

Arriving in Rucuto

Daniel and I talking to the young men about life in America.

Electricity Reality

There’s no electricity so they rely on portable solar power for a lot of things, including flashnlights for use at night.

DINNER

They went fishing to have food for dinner tonight!

Sahe Ndang

I was taken to the sacred tree where the Alanta Ndang (elders) talked to the ancestors for me. I was ask to tell them my problems and what solutions I wanted.

Repair needed

The break in their construction was creating a lot of problems. A group of men were ready to come and do the work. All that was needed was enough food for 3 or 4 days. . . .

Back at the family compound

Life in Rucuto is very social and organized.

Wealth

Balanta wealth is measured in cattle and relationships.

After sending the 50kg bag of rice and other food, the reapir was completed on November 4, 2023 thanks to the reparations provided through the Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America through the Decade of Return Initiative.

United States Confronted About State-Sanctioned Ethnocide Against Balanta People at the United Nations

October 16, 2023 Geneva Switzerland - The State Department of the United States of America was confronted with questions about U.S.-sanctioned ethnocide against Balanta people in the United States by Balanta Society in America President Siphiwe Baleka during the Civil Society Consultation held at the Permanent Mission of the United States of America to the United Nations at Route de Pregny 11, 1292 Pregny-Chambesy. The consultation with senior level officials of the United States Government was led by the Honorable Ambassador Michele Taylor, Representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council ahead of its scheduled fifth periodic review under the Internationa Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which takes place on the 17th and 18th of October.

From left to right: Ms. Heidi Todacheene, Senior Advisor Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of Interior; Mr. Robert Gilchrist, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; Mr. Justin Vail, Special Assistant to the President for Democracy and Civic Participation, Domestic Policy Council of the Executive Office of the President; The Honorable Ambassador Michele Taylor, Representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council; and Mr. Steven Reed, Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama.

Mr Baleka was the seventh speaker during the session and, after first speaking in his native Balanta language and presenting himself as a living example of an Afro Descendant recovering from ethnocide committed by the Unites States, asked the following questions which had been previously submitted to the July 12 Civil Society Consultation but were not answered then:

Q1. What remedies are available to the Balanta people in America for redress for ethnocide?

Q2. Will the government of the United States of America engage in negotiations with the Balanta people, the government of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, the Vatican, and the Government of Portugal, under the Geneva Convention, for the final “release and repatriation” of the descendants of the Balanta, Fulani, Mandinga, Papel, Manjaco, Beafada, Brame (Mancanha), Bijago, Djola (Felupe), Mansoaca prisoners of war who were trafficked to and enslaved in America?

Q3. How can the Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America engage in the process of receiving reparations for the crimes of slavery and ethnocide?

Mr. Jonathan Smith responded with the Department of Justice’s standard position against “trafficking” which, in this context, would either be a reference to the experience of being captured as a prsioner of war, put in chains, imprisoned and then “shipped” accross the Atlantic to be dehumanized and subjugated to chattel enslavemenr, or else a complete misunderstanding of the issues being raised. Mr. Justin Vail then acknowledged the issue of America’s slavery heritage and the current reparations movement, and Mr. Aaron Ford added that Mr. Baleka’s demonstration of ethnocide repair was impressive and then apologized for having to give the admittedly unsatisfactory answer that reparations would best be handled by the municipal and state level. Noting that none of the US Delegation responded directly to the first question, Mr. Baleka seized the moment to ask, “Can anyone respond to the issue of ethnocide that I raised?” The room fell awkwardly silent after which Mr. Baleka took his seat.

According to Mr. Baleka, “It was the first time that Balanta people were acknowledged by the United States government. And though I didn’t expect much by way of their on-the-record responses, I was encouraged by the private discussions I had during the reception with Shoba Sivasprasad Wadhia, Ambassador Taylor, Robert Glichrist, and the President of the National Bar Association, Dominique D. Calhoun, all of whom were unaware of the growing Lineage Restoration Movement and gave helpful advice on how to proceed.”

ICCPR 2023 Delegation Biographies

Delegation Representatives

Michele Taylor, Ambassador

Ambassador Michèle Taylor was sworn in as U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council on February 22, 2022. Ambassador Taylor is a lifelong human rights activist and advocate with a determined commitment to service. As a daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Ambassador Taylor brings to the Human Rights Council a profound appreciation for the crucial role the Council can and must play to promote universal human rights and protect human rights defenders. Ambassador Taylor is an advocate of women and girls in all their diversity, having long championed access to STEM careers, action to end violence against women, and equality for LGBTQI+ persons.

Bathsheba N. Crocker, U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN

Bathsheba “Sheba” Nell Crocker was confirmed by the Senate on December 18, 2021 and presented her credentials on January 18, 2022 as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, with the rank of Ambassador. Ambassador Crocker most recently served as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of State.

U.S. Government Advisors

Michelle Brane, Executive Director, Family Reunification Task Force, DHS

Michelle Brané is the Executive Director of the Family Reunification Task Force, and a Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, the chair of the Task Force. As executive director, she oversees the inter-agency task force's day-to-day operations as it seeks to find and reunite the children and parents. Ms. Brané has more than 25 years of experience working on immigration and human rights issues at the Department of Justice Board of Immigration Appeals, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Bosnia. She has extensive experience in program management and advocacy.

Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, DHS

Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia is the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security. The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) supports the Department's mission to secure the nation while preserving individual liberty, fairness, and equality under the law. She leads CRCL to integrate civil rights and civil liberties into all Department activities by: Promoting respect for civil rights and civil liberties in policy creation and implementation; Communicating with individuals and communities whose civil rights and civil liberties may be affected by Department activities; Investigating civil rights and civil liberties complaints filed by the public regarding Department policies or activities, or actions taken by Department personnel; and Leading the Department's equal employment opportunity programs and promoting workforce diversity and merit system principles. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Wadhia spent over two decades working as in the field of immigration in private practice, non-profit, and higher education. Most recently, she served as the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Samuel Weiss Faculty Scholar; and Clinical Professor of Law at Penn State Law in University Park.

Royce Bernstein Murray, Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, DHS

Royce Bernstein Murray is a Senior Counselor to the Secretary for Homeland Security. In her current role, she works to ensure that the U.S. immigration system protects the rights of refugees and other vulnerable noncitizens while maintaining the security of U.S. borders and the enforcement of immigration laws. Over the past 25 years, she has worked on migration and human rights issues for the U.S. government, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and the World Bank.

Deborah Plunkett, Associate General Counsel, DOD

Deborah Plunkett is Associate General Counsel with the International Affairs division at the U.S. Department of Defense. In her role, she counsels regarding compliance with applicable law, including international law. This includes supporting robust U.S. engagement in processes like the ICCPR review.

Ann Marie Bledsoe Downes, Principal Deputy Solicitor for Indian Affairs, DOI

Ann Marie Bledsoe Downes is the Principal Deputy Solicitor at the Department of Interior. She oversees the team of over 400 attorneys who provide legal counsel and advice to the Department of the Interior. In that role she is led by a U.S. Department that for the first time is led by an Indigenous Secretary, Deb Haaland, from the Pueblo of Laguna. The Department provides services to 574 federally recognized tribes with a service population of over 2.5 million American Indian and Alaska Natives and places emphasis on the policies of tribal self-governance and self-determination.

Heidi Todacheene, Senior Advisor to the Secretary, DOI

Heidi Todacheene serves as Senior Advisor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Interior, and as the Executive Director of the Interior’s first-ever Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC). In her role, she oversees the Administration’s Indigenous and International priorities at the agency and strengthens the United States’ federal trust relationship with the 574 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and their leadership.

Johnathan Smith, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, DOJ

Johnathan Smith is a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. The Division enforces federal statutes that prohibit discrimination and works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all persons in the United States, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. In his role, Johnathan helps oversee the Division’s investigatory, enforcement, and policy efforts.

Finnuala Tessier, Attorney Advisor, DOJ

Finnuala Tessier is an Attorney Advisor in the Office of Policy and Legislation in the Department of Justice Criminal Division. In her role, she coordinates the Division’s response on policy and regulatory issues, including processes like the ICCPR review. In addition, Ms. Tessier is a member of the Department’s Sentencing Policy Group, through which she works on many of the criminal justice and sentencing policy initiatives that are the subject of the ICCPR review.

Jennifer Goodyear, Labor Attache, DOL

[pending]

Robert Gilchrist, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, DOS

Robert S. Gilchrist is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy Human Rights and Labor. He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor. His last position was United States Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania 2020-2023. Prior to being ambassador, Mr. Gilchrist Director of the Department of States Operations Center, Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in Sweden, Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in Estonia, and the Director of Nordic and Baltic Affairs in the State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. Among his earlier assignments, Mr. Gilchrist was Deputy Political Counselor at the United States Embassy in Iraq, Chief of the Political Section of the United States Embassy in Romania, and a Special Assistant in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of State.

Mary Catherine Malin, Deputy Legal Adviser, DOS

Mary Catherine Malin is a Deputy Legal Adviser at the Department of State. She has served in the Legal Adviser’s Office for over 37 years. As deputy she supervises a number of offices, including the office that handles legal issues pertaining to human rights and refugees. She previously served in the section of the Legal Adviser's office for United Nations Affairs.

Justin Vail, Special Assistant to the President for Democracy and Civic Participation, DPC

Justin Vail serves as Special Assistant to the President for Democracy and Civic Participation at the White House Domestic Policy Council, where he works to strengthen American democracy.

Catherine Elizabeth Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Education

Catherine E. Lhamon is the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. In her role, she works to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence through vigorous enforcement of civil rights in US schools.

Karim David Marshall, Senior Advisor, EPA

Karim D. Marshall is the Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) at the Environmental Protection Agency. In this role, he works to advance OEJECR’s mission to coordinate implementation of EJ priorities across the agency’s national programs, regions, the Administrator’s Office, and across partnerships with other federal agencies and coregulators in state, tribal, and local government, industry, and communities.

Jessica Swafford Marcella, Deputy Assistant Secretary, HHS

Jessica Swafford Marcella was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs and Director of the Office of Adolescent Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on May 10, 2021. In this capacity, Ms. Marcella oversees the nation’s family planning program, advises the Department on a number of public health priorities, including reproductive rights, as well as leads efforts across HHS related to adolescent health, including administration of the evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention program.

Demetria McCain, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, HUD

Demetria McCain serves as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). At FHEO, McCain assists HUD’s efforts to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity, and achieve diverse, inclusive communities.

Lynn Grosso, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement, HUD

Lynn Grosso is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement in the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Under Lynn’s leadership, HUD enforces broad civil rights authority to provide inclusive, accessible housing, free from discrimination, across the nation.

Joshua Black, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs, NSC

Josh Black is Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs on the National Security Council (NSC) staff at the White House. He leads the NSC team responsible for United Nations and international organization affairs, refugee/migration policy, and global criminal justice.

Non-Federal Government Advisors

Aaron Ford, Attorney General of the State of Nevada

Aaron D. Ford is the Attorney General of the State of Nevada. In his position, Attorney General Ford has led his state’s legal defenses against efforts to overturn free and fair elections; held legally accountable those who had a hand in causing the opioid crisis in Nevada; and worked diligently for criminal justice reform.

Steven Reed, Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama

As the first Black Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama in the city’s 200-plus-year history, Mayor Reed is transforming the Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement into a leader in the New South. Despite challenges stemming from the global COVID-19 pandemic, state legislative overreach and old powers gasping for relevancy, Mayor Reed’s bold, progressive vision continues shifting the narrative and changing the trajectory for Montgomery – creating a community where everyone has a chance to live, learn and earn.

A Letter Urging PFPAD President Epsy Campbell Bar to Immediately Fulfill the Mandate Given by Civil Society to Request an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice

At the launch of the first session of the Permanenet Forume on People of African Descent (PFPAD) on December 6, 2022, Balanta Society President Siphiwe Baleka invoked the mandate of the PFPAD to Request an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the status of Afro Descendants as Prisoners of War under the Geneva Convention. On April 5, 2023, A MANDATE FROM THE AFRO DESCENDANT PEOPLE ISSUED TO THE PERMANENT FORUM ON PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT TO REQUEST AN ADVISORY OPINION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE ON THEIR STATUS AS PRISONERS OF WAR UNDER THE GENEVA CONVENTION was signed by 248 representatives of Afro Descendant Civil Society and sent to PFPAD President Epsy Campbell Bar. On May 30th, the draft Request for an Advisory Opinion from the ICJ was delivered to PFPAD President Epsy Campbell Barr at the 2nd Session of PFPAD held in New York. And finally, on July 25, 2023, PFPAD President Epsy Campbell Barr responded that, “As President of this space, I have requested the incorporation of this item in the agenda of the next meeting, to proceed to analyze it jointly.”

Since then, a number of developments have occurred. Caribbean countries are considering approaching the UN’s international court of justice (ICJ) for a legal opinion on demanding compensation from 10 European countries over slavery. The prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves said a decision on a formal approach to the ICJ to receive a legal advisory would probably be taken in August at a meeting of a prime ministerial subcommittee on reparations of the Caribbean countries in August led by the Barbados prime minister, Mia Mottley.

“This is a very serious matter,” said Gonsalves. “We have had some legal work done already prepared,” he added, saying the issue was gaining “more and more traction” in Europe.

“We are at the stage where we probably will go to the international court of justice for an advisory opinion, but there are other parallel activities which are taking place and this is gathering momentum,” he told the Guardian in Brussels.

The roundtable in Barbados was held, but Balanta Society President Siphiwe Baleka, who has been the leading force and drafter of the ICJ Request was not invited. Reports from that meeting, however, showed that CARICOM has its own vision for reparations and any request for an ICJ Advisory Opinion coming from CARICOM will come from a different point of view and ask a different set of questions than those originally posed by civil society attending PFPAD.

Additionally, the Brattle Group Report on Reparations for Transatlantic Chattel Slavery, was published with Judge Patrick Robinson, a leading judge at the International Court of Justice playing an instrumental role. In response to these events, Mr. Baleka wrote,

“The fact that an ICJ Judge was a consultant on this report ought to signal to us (civil society) to become more active and vocal about getting an iCJ Advisory Opinion. Remember, this is what Malcolm and Imari Obadele wanted - to get this thing into an international court.... let's finish the unfinished business. It's not for one person (me) to do it alone. We need people to build a movement and especially to get PFPAD to make the Request now. Why are we waiting until April of next year to discuss it again instead of just initiating the process whereby the ICJ can discuss it?

It has now been brought to our attention that others seeking an ICJ Advisory Opinion are objecting to the framework and narrative that emphasizes that the people taken from Africa were not slaves but were taken as prisoners of war. The African Union is signaling that it is ready to enter the reparations arena by working with CARICOM and its Ten Point plan which is mostly a development plan rather than a self determination plan. Mr. Baleka’s concern is that if the Barbados group or any other group initiates separate requests for an Advisory Opinion, it may have negative consequences, especially if the right questions are not asked. The ICJ may not appreciate multiple requests on essentially the same subject with different questions. There is the risk of diluting the original, most powerful request that was presented to PFPAD President Epsy Campbell Barr to sign or that the campaign initiated by Afro Descendant civil society will become the victime of elite capture by lawyers and government officials. Towards an effort to preserve the interest of civil society, Christopher Jones, the male co-chair of the IDPAD Coalition U.K., has drafted the following letter. If you support his call to preserve the original MANDATE FROM THE AFRO DESCENDANT PEOPLE ISSUED TO THE PERMANENT FORUM ON PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT TO REQUEST AN ADVISORY OPINION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE ON THEIR STATUS AS PRISONERS OF WAR UNDER THE GENEVA CONVENTION that was signed by 248 representatives of Afro Descendant Civil Society and sent to PFPAD President Epsy Campbell Bar, please complete the form below.

Carol Ammons, State Representative, Illinois 103rd, USA

Siphiwe Baleka, Balanta B'urassa History and Genealogy Society in America Guinea Bissau

Andre Queen, Balanta B'rassa, USA

Nnamdi Sobukwe, All african people revolutionary party, USA

Dr. LaWana Richmond, United States

Christopher Buchanan El, Parliament Organics Non-profit, United States

Sticks Nkambule, SWATCAWU, Swaziland

Morgan Moss JR, Ubuntu National & International Trade & Education, (UNITE), United States

Im Manu El Bey, Universal Human Rights Coalition, America

Jose Lingna Nafafe, University of Bristol, UK United Kingdom

Phillip Beckles-Raymond, University of West London, United Kingdom

KEVIN EDWARDS, Antigua and Barbuda

Kofi Adjepong, FOADBO, Ghana

Mindstro XBOOM ! - Black Opinion On Matters, UK

MaryJo Copeland, Personal Racial Reconciliation Group in Fairfax, VA, United States

Darren Crenshaw, Street Salvation Ministries / New Afrikan Tribal Collective, United States of America

Isegunti Agau Kpossou, New Afrikan Tribal Collective. Loyal House of Isegunti, USA

Aaron Ammons, Champaign County Cletk, Illinois, USA

Jabari Lane, Community Healing Network, United States

Matt Meyer, International Peace Research Association, United States

Sherry A Suttles, Republic of New Afrika, Gullah Jack District, as of 10-13-23, United States

Kofi Ansa, Balanta Burassa, United States

Kamm Howard, Reparations United, United States

Ashraf Cassiem, Anti Eviction Campaign (Cape Town, Chicago,Los Angeles), South Africa

Vincent Woods, United States

Christopher Buchanan El, Parliament Organics Non-profit, United States

William Lee, Balanta, USA

Nicole Holmes, Balanta B'urassa History and Genealogy Society in America, Guinea Bissau/USA

Gabriella Beckles-Raymond, England

Curtis Murphy, Fihankra, Ghana

Pamella Campbell, GACuk GLOBAL AFRIKAN CONGRESSuk, Uk

PATRICK PASSLEY LVO, GLOBAL AFRIKAN CONGRESS, UKUNITED KINGDOM

Dorritt Akinbobola, Joint Council of churches for All Nations, United Kingdom

Neil Miller, England

Judy Richards,Nebaioth Prophetic Ministies.United Kingdom

Audrey Eccleston, Joint Council of Churches for all Nations, United Kingdom

Gifford Rhamie, Rockstone Consultancy, United Kingdom

NZABI MISAMU, DYNAMIC MATONGE, BELGIUM

Iman Uqdah Hameen, Pan African Veterans and Elders of the Diaspora (PAVED), United States

Jeanne Dubose, United States

Maynard Henry, N'COBRA, United States

Vincent Woods, United States

Tafari Thompson, Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress, Bahamas

Olatunji Mwamba, United States

Sengbe El-Bey, Balanta B'urassa Society, USA

William Lee, USA

Elsie Gayle, IDPAD Coalition, UK

Laurel Klafehn, United States

Kwaku Kwaku, TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question), UK

Cecile Johnson, African Development Plan, United States

Heru Menelik, Rastafari Inity Council of Jamaica, Jamaica

Nicole Holmes,Balanta B’urassa Historical Society In American, USA

Linda Tinsley, United States

Joe Washington, The Nia Foundation, Italy

Sher Griffin, Saybrook University, United States

ILLINOIS STATE REPRESENTATIVE CAROL AMMONS AND BBHAGSIA PRESIDENT SIPHIWE BALEKA DISCUSS AFRICAN AMERICAN PRISONER OF WAR STATUS, ETHNOCIDE AND THE PLEBISCITE FOR SELF DETERMINATION

Spetember 23, Bisssu - BBHAGSIA President Siphiwe Baleka apeared on the WEFT 90.1 fm Higher Ground radio program with Illinois State Representative Carol Ammons to discuss the status of African Americans as prisoners of war, the ethnocide that was committed against them and the need to frame reparations under a plebiscite for self determination. During the program, Mr. Baleka explained the pitfalls of using the established “slave trade” historical narrative in the quest for reparations and advocating framing the issue as state sanctioned trafficking of prisoners of war and state-sanctioned ethnocide. Reparations is generally understood as remedy for damage incurred in war and not for “trade”. Listen to the full discussion here which starts around the 25:00 mark.

Earlier, on May 24 of this year, Representative Ammons succeeded in passing Illinois House Resolution 292 that declares the State of Illinois should take the lead on issues of Pan-Africanism, citizenship in Africa, and reparatory justice, and the State should champion the Eighth Pan-African Congress Part 1 (8PAC1) and its agenda to develop a continental-wide diaspora citizenship plan, establish the African Diaspora as the 6th Region of the African Union (AU), and determine a permanent headquarters for the 6th Region. Calls upon the State to immediately, through its African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission (ADCRC), provide matrilineal and patrilineal DNA testing through African ancestry to determine the ancestral lineages and territories of origin of its Black residents so that they can seek citizenship in their ancestral homelands, if so desired. Calls upon the State to become the first to conduct a repatriation census in preparation for honoring President Abraham Lincoln's desire for voluntary repatriation with compensation and to make conducting the repatriation census its immediate priority.

BBHAGSIA President Siphiwe Baleka Presents at the Future Black America Conference, September 19

On Friday, September 19th, BBHAGSIA Founder and President Siphiwe Baleka talked with Yul Anderson - President-Founder African American Future Society about the future of Black America, the Permament Forum of People of African Descent, pursing justice in international courts, the developments in West Africa, and more. You can watch the discussion at the video below and see all the presentation at

FUTURE BLACK AMERICA CONFERENCE

Nkechi Taifa's Human Rights and Justice Podcast: Episode 52 Featuring Siphiwe Baleka

This is the one year anniversary episode of Human Rights and Justice, Episode 52, featuring the words and works of Brother Siphiwe Baleka. This is his third visit to Human Rights and Justice, this time highlighting the importance of international law heralding from Malcolm X and Imari Obadele, the issue of a plebiscite for Black People in the U.S., petition to the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent for an inquiry to the International Court of Justice for a ruling on the status of Black people, and more!

Decade of Return to Guinea Bissau Coordinator Siphiwe Baleka meets with the New Minister of Tourism, Faustino Mamadu Saliu Jaló

Faustino Mamadu Saliu Jaló was born on April 30, 1963, in Gabú. He studied communication engineering from 1987 to 1994 at the University of Coimbra (engineering faculty). Secretary General of the Guinean Workers' Party (PTG). He was Prime Minister Dr. Faustino Imbali's chief of staff. He was also chief of staff for the former President of the Transitional Republic, Henrique Pereira Rosa. He was Inspector General of Social Communication. He now holds the post of Secretary of State for Tourism.

September 6, Bissau - Decade of Return Coordinator and Coordinator of the Lineage Restoration Council of Guinea Bissau, Mr. Siphiwe Baleka, met with the new Minister of Tourism, Faustino Mamadu Saliu Jaló, to discuss the Decade of Return progam that was officially launched on February 23, 2021 under State Secretary of Tourism Nhima Sisse in partnership with the Balanta B’urassa History & Genealogy Society in America. Mr. Baleka, who met with the former State Secretary of Tourism Fernando Vaz when he replaced Ms. Nhima Sisse, met with the new State Secretary Jaló to discuss the potential of the Decade of Return program and to advise the new Secretary on how the Ministry of Tourism can develop the program.

“As I have done with each of the State Secretaries of Tourism in the past three years, I explain what the Ministry of Tourism needs to do in order to benefit from a ‘Year of Return’ program much like Ghana and Sierra Leone,” said Mr. Baleka, who has become the chief connection to the country for African American people that have taken the African Ancestry dna test and discovered that their maternal or paternal ancestors are Balanta, Fula, Djola, Brame, Mandinka or other descendant of Guinea Bissau. “It’s important for the Ministry of Tourism to understand that the descendants have ties to other countries, and they aren’t just going to come to Guinea Bissau as their only option. The country is not well-known and there are language barriers. The Ministry of Tourism will have to compete for their tourism. When they do, we can expect to see a significant increase in toursim from a completely new sector of people.”

February 8, 2021 Decade of Return meeting with Secretary of Tourism, Nhima Sisse (3rd from left), her Chief of Staff (1st from left), and the Assistant to the Minister of Sport and former Decade of Return Coordinator Balanto Djassi( aka Yama Cisse, 2nd from left below).

However, despite having concluded five group tours under the Decade of Return program, the government’s engagement has been slow and limited. Mr. Baleka cites the citizenship process as one example.

“I explained to Secretary Jaló that 23 descednats of prisoners of war that were captured from territories in Guinea Bissau, have applied for Guinea Bissau citizenship as is their right under international law and specifically the Geneva Convention which Guinea Bissau is signatory to,” said Mr. Baleka. “However, its been over a year and a half since they have applied for citizenship and paid the $600 fee and they still have not yet received their citizenship. The delay in granting citizenship is creating doubt and uncertainty and threatening the sincereity and reputation of the government of Guinea Bissau.”

During the Second Decade of Return Group in June of 2021, Balanta descendants, including Kamm Howard (former NCOBRA National Co-Chair and current Director of Reparations United ) and Robin Rue Simmons (former 5th Ward Alderman for the City of Evanston, IL, where she led, in collaboration with others, the passage of the nation’s first municipally-funded reparations legislation for Black resident and current Founder and Executive Director of FirstRepair) expressed the deisre for citizenship.

Immediately after the June meeting, the former State Secretry of Tourism issued the following letter to the Prime Minister:

GOVERNMENT OF GUINEA BISSAU; MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND CRAFTS
MINISTER'S OFFICE AND GOVERNMENT SPEECH

Your Excellency

Eng Nuno Gomes Nabian
Prime Minister

BISSAU:
Bissau, June 25, 2021

Subject: Request of Acquisition of Nationality to African American Descendants of Guinea Bissau

No. Ref 2/ GMTA/2021

Excellency,
The Minister of Tourism and Crafts presents His best and respectful greetings to your Excellency, with the best wishes of success in the performance of your noble role for the development of Guinea-Bissau. We inform you that within the framework of our partnership, the members of the "Balanta Burassa History and Genealogy Society in the United States” began to return to their origins through an initiative called “Decade of Return” in which we have already received two groups of this audience. According to DNA tests, they discovered that they originate from Guinea-Bissau. As an initiative of capital importance for the tourist sector in Guinea Bissau, associated with the aforementioned factors, we hereby request the good offices of Your Excellency, in order to authorize the start of the process for the acquisition of nationality to these people, according to the attached documents. It should be noted that an inter-ministerial commission was created for this purpose, in which an element of the Ministry of Justice has guided this entire nationality application process. No more subject for the moment. Accept my distinct consideration.

Fernando Vaz, Minister of Tourism

On November 26, 2021 a third Decade of Return group came to Guinea Bissau and a meeting was held with Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabian and Minister of Tourism and Crafts and Government Spokesman, FERNANDO VAZ, who assured that “everything will be done to accelerate the process of naturalization of the African Americans.”

November 26, 2021 meeting with Balanta B’urasa History and Genealogy Society in America President Siphiwe Baleka 1st from left); Sylvia Robey (3rd from left); former Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabian (center); former State Secretary of Tourism Fernando Vaz (5th from left); and Djola History and Genealogy Society in America President Jewell Felder-James (far right).

Despite the public pronounced support for granting citizenship to the lost descendants of the Balanta, Djola, Fula, Brame and others, their citienship applications still sit at the Council of Minister awaiting final approval and signature. Says Mr. Baleka,

“We hope the new administration, and particularly the State Secretary of Tourism Faustino Mamadu Saliu Jaló will quickly finish the naturalization process by approving the applications in their Council of Ministers meeting before the end of the month and then prepare and coordinate the citizenship ceremony with the Decade of Return Coordinators for their upcoming tours in November 2023, February 2024 and May 2024. This will be the catalyst for a significant increase in tourism from the people of Guinea Bissau who were kidnapped from their families and enslaved in the Americas. Secretary Jaló said that we can count on him.”

Siphiwe Baleka, President of the Guinea Bissau Swimming Federation meets with the new Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Mr. Albino Gomes

The new Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Albino Gomes. Albino Gomes was born on October 20, 1967, in Cacheu. Graduated in Law from the Faculty of Law of Bissau, he specialized in Civil Law and Civil Procedure at the National Institute of Judicial Studies in Luanda (INEJ) in 2005. In 2000 he joined the Judiciary, as Chief Judge of the Third Court. He was appointed Chief Judge of the Sectorial Court of Bissau – Sintra (III – Judgment) in 2000 and later promoted to the category of Judge of Law, being placed on the Crime Rod of the Regional Court of Bissau. He was Legal Adviser to several State institutions and consultant for several laws and statutes. Leader of the PAIGC, he served as Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy, as well as reaching the position of Director General of Customs and now appointed to exercise the position of Minister of Justice and Human Rights.

September 1, 2023, Bissau - The President of the Guinea Bissau Swimming Federation, Siphiwe Baleka, met with the new Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Albino Gomes, to discuss the pending frivolous litigation that is preventing the Federation from functioning, entering swimmers in competition including the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and ultimately depriving young people in the country great opportunities to train under one of the greatest black swimmers in history.

Although President Baleka successfully legalized the swimming federation on April 12, 2022, the President of the Guina Bissau National Olympic Committee, Mr. Sergio Mane, has led an effort to block the country’s best swimmer from competing and helped initiate litigation against the legal federation in July of 2022. Although a hearing was later set last year, neither the judge nor the party initiating the litigation showed up. Since then, nothing has been done to adjudicate the case.

“We hoped the new Minister of Justice would be able to do something to see that the case concludes within thirty days so that the Federation can be eligible to compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris ,” said President Baleka. “This would bring a lot of positive publicity to the country as well as resources to be used to help Guinea Bissau athletes and develop the sports infrastructure. Unfortunately, Minister Albino Gomes stated that there was nothing he could do and suggested we go to the Ministry of Sport.”

Though Ms. Indira Cabral Embaló is the new Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport as a result of the July elections, President Baleka stated that he was not too optimistic. The previous Minister of Sport, Augusto Gomes, was complicit in helping Mr. Mane block Mr. Baleka from competing at last year’s CANA Zone 2 West African Swimming Championships in which Mr. Baleka would have won the country’s first ever medals in the sport.

Outgoing Minister of Sport, Augusto Gomes, with Guinea Bissau Swimming Federation President Siphiwe Baleka, meeting in May 2022. With this handshake, Minister Gomes agreed to provide President Baleka with a Certificate of Recognition and instructed him to return the next day to receive it. After weighting for six hours in his office, Minister Gomes refused the certificate which prevented President Baleka, who is also the country’s best swimmer, from competing in several competitions in 2022, including the World Championships, which has cost Mr. Baleka several sponsorships, contracts and endorsements.

“This is the fourth Minister of Sport in the last two years. If that office could resolve the matter, we wouldn’t be in this situation today.” Indeed, after a year, the outgoing Minister of Sport, Mr. Augusto Gomes, finally issued a generic Certificate of Recognition on June 27, 2023 - a full year after he initially promised it. However, when asked to contact World Aquatics on behalf of Federation President Siphiwe Baleka to secure the recognition from the international governing body of the sport, the Minister of Sport refused.

“Nothing on the generic certificate that former Minister of Sport Augusto Gomes issued indicates who is the President of the legally registered swimming federation in Guinea Bissau. So it does nothing to resolve the case, “ said President Baleka. “If I drop the certificate and John Smith picks it up and presents it, does that mean John Smith is the swim federation President? So we need the new Minister of Sport, Ms. Indira Cabral Embaló, to contact World Aquatics on our behald and tell them clearly that the National Olympic Committee does not decide who is the legal federation, it is the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Sport, and both of them recognize the legally registered Swimming Federation, of which I am its duly elected President.”

The new Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Ms. Indira Cabral Embaló

Meanwhile, all the evidence from both parties were submitted to the court a year ago. The court could resolve the case once and for all. But the Minister of Justice says he is powerless to do anything. Thus imputy allows Mr. Mane to continue interfering in the swim federation’s business and justice for Mr. Baleka, who estimates his financial losses at almost 200 million CFA (US $300,000) remains elusive. The questions must be asked of the President of the National Olympic Committee: why is he trying to prevent the development of the swimming federation which could add two more swimmers to the roster for the next Olympics? Isn’t this a betrayal of his duty?

Acoording to Mr. Baleka, “There’s a Balanta proverb, 𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐚𝐥𝐞. "The sorcerer (or witch) never denounces himself" meaning 𝑾𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 (𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔).”

AU-ADS Sixth Region High Council Africa Facilitator Calls for Country Facilitators to Assist with The Right To Return Repatriation Process

August 10, Dar Es Salam, Tanzania - The Coordinator of the 6th Region African Diaspora Alliance In Tanzania (6RADAT), Mrs. Grace Abena James who serves as the Facilitator for the AU-ADS Sixth Region High Council - Africa region, is inviting African Diasporans who have rematriated to become country facilitators. If you are interested in assisting with the Right to Return Repatriation Process, please complete the form below.

* African Diasporans Living on the African Continent only *

As a Facilitator for AUADS & SRDC, I would like to officially engage you to participate in the organizing process for the 6th Region African Diaspora currently domiciled on the Continent. Information is needed for a report that will form a part of the implementation recommendations for the member states across the continent, in order for our Repatriation to go smoother. As you have noticed, many countries are now putting Diaspora policies in place, so we need this info to get our plan of action included. Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability and help us to advocate for the changes we need.

Pan African 6th Region Facilitators Monitoring, Strategic & Policy Working Group

Endorse the N’COBRA Health Commission Millions for Mutulu: The Dr. Mutulu Shakur Public Health Peoples Campaign

Whereas Dr. Mutulu Shakur, a pioneer, revolutionary public health social innovator, has lived an
exemplary life for this people born August 8 1950 and took spiritual ascension on July 7, 2023;

Whereas he was acknowledged, in universal recognition by the N’COBRA HEALTH COMMISSION (NHC) Mutulu Declaration on his 72nd birthday, his spirit will forever live in the hearts, souls and work of the people;

Whereas each August 8th shall be celebrated annually as DR. MUTULU SHAKUR COMMUNTY HEALTH DAY;

Whereas NHC has embarked upon a campaign to enroll millions to continue his work;

Whereas this Dr. Mutulu Shakur Community Public Health Peoples Campaign is an organized strategy to teach and practice the Mutulu 5 point ear acupressure to optimize the health of the Black community and assert Black Health Self-Determination;

Whereas this campaign started in 2022 with the reading of the declaration in New York City, set as year 1;

Whereas on year two, 2023 the goal is to register 100 organizations to read the Dr. Mutulu Shakur Declaration in round robin, each person taking a turn reading a paragraph, during the month of Black August 2023;

Whereas each organization commits to watch Dope is Death, organize community events in celebration of Ancestor Dr. Mutulu Shakur;

Whereas each year efforts will be waged to recruit and train acupressure community healers;

Whereas each year and hereafter shall increase participation by 10 fold to reach 1 Million by 2027;

Whereas in year 2024 1000 organization shall participate, in year 2025 10,000, in year 2026 100,000, finally in year 2027 1 million shall participate;

Whereas your organization is committed to this campaign by your registration;

Whereas this campaign will revolutionize our community’s commitment and practice of positive health protocols, including the dedicated Balanta 4 minute fitness workout;

Whereas we move forward to acquire, wellbeing and reparations,

We declare victory and Health self-determination.

Register Your Organization