William Carew, Head of Secretariat and Kyeretwie Osei, Head of Programmes at the AU ECOSOCC Secretariat in Lusaka, Zambia.
A COMMENTARY BY SIPHIWE BALEKA
On May 27, 2025 the Secretariat of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) held a special consultation with the “Diaspora” as part of its Civil Society Consultations on the 2025 AU Year of Reparations. The Open Call for the Diaspora for the meeting generated much anticipation for Afro Descendants in the AU 6th Region who appreciated an opportunity to present in detail their reparations agenda which they feel is not receiving adequate attention and action by the African Union, let alone global society. Unfortunately, Afro Descendants’ hopes were quickly dashed when the program for the consultation was announced and the opening remarks were made by Kyeretwie Osei, Head of Programmes at the AU ECOSOCC Secretariat in Lusaka, Zambia.
“I was looking at the speakers and saw it was mostly ‘continental” [diasporans],” said Ms. Abena Graze James, a repatriate from Jamaica and founder of the 6th Region African Diaspora Alliance in Tanzania.
Ms. James recently published the Proposal for Enhanced Engagement with, and the Integration of The African Historic Diaspora in all African Member States Under the Right To Return Declaration which I submitted, along with a statement and recommendations as the 6th Region Representative to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE AFRICAN UNION THEME OF THE YEAR 2025: “JUSTICE FOR AFRICANS AND PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT THROUGH REPARATIONS” at the ACHPR 83rd Ordinary Session, May 10, in Banjul, Gambia. I also submitted reports on the current status of Afro Descendant who have repatriated to Ethiopia, Ghana, and Tanzania, all of which were copied to the AU ECOSOCC ahead of the Diaspora Consultation originally scheduled for two days later on May 12.
From: Balanta Society <balantasociety@gmail.com>
Date: May 10, 2025 at 10:14:28 AM GMT
To: au-banjul <au-banjul@africanunion.org>
Cc: Abiola Idowu-Ojo <Idowu-Ojoa@africanunion.org>, Nelen Tambe Beteck <BeteckN@africanunion.org>, Petrus Shimweefeleni Kauluma Hatupopi <HatupopiP@africanunion.org>, "Dr. Francis M. Magare" <MagareF@africanunion.org>, William Carew <CarewW@africa-union.org>, Angela Naa Afoley Odai <OdaiA@africa-union.org>, Kyeretwie Osei <Oseik@africa-union.org>, Lagizaber Bekele <LagizaberB@africa-union.org>, ECOSOCC <ECOSOCC@africa-union.org>, bugrem@africa-union.orgSubject: Re: INVITATION - PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE AU THEME OF THE YEAR 2025 - "JUSTICE FOR AFRICANS AND PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT THROUGH REPARATIONS"
Please find attached my complete statement and my short form, including all the reference documents, that constitute my complete submission to today's
PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE AFRICAN UNION THEME OF THE YEAR 2025: “JUSTICE FOR AFRICANS AND PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT THROUGH REPARATIONS” AT THE 83RD ORDINARY SESSION OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS
I did not receive any acknowledgement from the AU ECOSOCC officials that they had received my statement and the reports. Thus, when AU ECOSOCC announced that it had rescheduled the Diaspora Consultation for May 27 and instructed people to send presentations of no more than 15 slides before May 23rd, I sent the following email on May 20:
From: Balanta Society <balantasociety@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Subject: Powerpoint Presentation for the Diaspora Session on the African Union's 2025 Theme of the Year: Reparations
To: ECOSOCC <ecosocc@africa-union.org>
Cc: <panafricantreatyafricandiaspor@gmail.com>
See attached Powerpoint Presentation
Once again, I received no confirmation from the AU ECOSOCC Secretariat that they received my presentation, but surely they would make space for me given the fact that the May 10 Panel was supposed to be a joint ACHPR-AU ECOSOCC event per ACHPR Resolution 616 and given that I helped the AU Secretariat coordinate the first AU ECOSOCC Diaspora Town Hall meeting that was held on March 15. Surely, I thought, they would respect my substantial contribution to developing the AU 6th Region, which goes back to its very inception on February 4, 2003 when I was the only Afro Descendant present in the African Union building when the Article 3(q) Amendment was adopted inviting and encouraging the African Diaspora’s FULL PARTICIPATION in the building of the African Union and my consultation as an expert representative of the Afro Descendants in the 6th Region on AU ECOSOCC’s development of the Diaspora engagement framework, both on May 10, 2023 and August 24, 2023 when, upon request, I met with the legal firm contracted to prepare it:
From: Gowtam Raj Chintaram (Dr.) <Chin@africa-union.org>
Date: Wed, Feb 12, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Subject: Townhall on ECOSOCC Diaspora Legal Framework - 15 MARCH 2025
To: balantasociety@gmail.com <balantasociety@gmail.com>
Cc: William Carew , Kyeretwie Osei , Bright Sefah , Lagizaber Bekele, Carol Jilombo
Dear Mr Baleka
Following our meeting and referring to Mr Carew’s announcement for the hosting of a townhall session to shed light on the Diaspora Legal Framework and after the consultations held with your team on the proposed date/time that would be most suitable for our main constituents ; we are pleased to share the link for the townhall session scheduled for Saturday 15th March 2025 ( 1500 UTC) as below
https://zoom.us/j/91579182632?pwd=Fhc0xWdQIjDzeobLyIlPqkmZ0VMGPQ.1
We will work on official flyers/posters for the announcement to be put on our various social media platforms as from next week.
Kind regards
Raj
Thus, just like my friend and colleague Ms. James, I too was taken aback and very dissappointed when not only did I not see my name on the Consultation’s “Run of Show”, I saw none of my Afro Descendant colleagues, no members of the African Diaspora Ubuntu Coalition for Engaging in the AU Theme of the Year, nor any signatories of the Pan African Treaty of the Sixth Region of the African Diaspora. Neither were there any members of the African Diaspora 6th Region High Council or any of the many groups representing the African Diaspora 6th Region.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT IS REAL!
Exactly 18 years ago, I expressed the disappointment with the Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) in the following email:
“Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 02:05:08 -0700 (PDT) From: AU 6th Region Education Campaign <ras.nathaniel@yahoo.com> Subject: To: AU Washington Office RE: African Diaspora Elections to ECOSOCC To: Amina Salum, CIDO, ECOSOCC ISC
Her Excellency Amina Salum Ali, The African Union Permanent R e p r e s e n t a t i v e t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s A m b a s s a d o r L i l a Ratsifandrihamanana, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations African Union Mission To The United States of America1875 I Street NW Suite 580 Washington DC 20006Fax: (202) 429-7129Tel: (202) 429-7138 RE: Coordinating African Diaspora Elections toECOSOCC
Greetings and Rastafari Blessings to the Rastafari Family Worldwide 103 days, 12 hours, 17 minutes and 41 seconds before the Ethiopian Millennium
I received another letter from African Union officials today and have forwarded a response (see emails below).Despite the negative propaganda, Rastafari is advancing within the African Union. In reference to the AU 6th Region Education Campaign, Ms. Nadia Roguiai and Dr. Francis Ikome of the ECOSOCC Secretariat acknowledged I&I ‘spirited efforts and commitment to the success of both the Diaspora Initiative.’ Mr. Wuyi Omitoogun, Diaspora Officer, CIDO/AU Commission added,
‘Thanks for your e-mail of 24 May 2007 in response to the e-mail of the ECOSOCC Secretariat on the same. It is a mark of regard and respect that the Commission has for the enthusiasm of your organization and its apparent commitment to the Diaspora Initiative that we are also responding. . . .the exchange of information so far has been very enlightening. We also hope it has provided clarifications about the policy process of the African Union. . . . It is clear that your actions here have been pursued with the noblest of intentions . . .’
The African Union webpage announcing the Launch of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of The African Union (ECOSOCC) states, "The impulse is not for the African Union to organize civil society. Rather the organizing principle of the ECOSOCC of the African union is one in which civil society would organize themselves to work with the Organization.The distinctive character of the African Union's ECOSOCC is that it is an opportunity for African civil society to play an active role in charting the future of the Continent, organizing itself in partnership with African governments to contribute to the principles, policies and programmes of the Union." http://www.africa-union.org/ECOSOC/ECOSOCC%20Flyer.pdf As I had already attended the 1st Extra- Ordinary Summit of the Assembly of the African Union in February 2003, and the Issembly for Rastafari Iniversal Education (IRIE) had, with permission of the Rastafari Family in Shashemane, initiated communication with the African Union, while being involved in the same self-organizing process initiated by the Rastafari International Theocracy Issembly in 1983 and resumed by the 2003 Global Reasoning with the purpose of "implementing formal agreements relative to African States and the OAU" and "sending a strong message to....the AU that we want to return home", I naturally and spiritually felt called to service. I did I best to organize both the Rastafari movement and the African Diaspora at the same time in harmony, coordination and cooperation with the African Union. I did so even vigorously, as per Sister Ijahnya's recommendation to ‘be quite assertive in making sure that the Rastafari quest for repatriation is placed and remains on the Network and AU priority agenda’ and ‘vigilantly keep abreast of AU Civil Society meetings, proceedings, decisions and positions so as to make the most effective representational inputs.’ . . . Further, consider that Dr. Tajudeen Abdul Raheem, General-Secretary of the Pan African Movement, Kampala (Uganda) and Co-Director of Justice Africa, said on April 7, 2005: ‘In the past it was difficult for civil society organisations, NGOs, private sector groups, professional associations, etc to have access to the OAU. But the ECOSOCC envisages that most organisations and even individuals will have equal access to the AU and contribute their quota to the development of Africa. . . . Self organisation is the hallmark of civil society. A situation whereby the AU decides who the leaders of ECOSOCC will be through manipulation of delegates and representation does not augur well for a union that wants the people to be involved as legitimate stakeholders. The Shenanigans at the launch of the ECOSOCC General Assembly would have made the former Stalinist countries very proudly nostalgic that their methods of 'democracy from above' continues to have appeal even without the need for a political party and cadres!’ Moreover, the first paragraph of the report, Towards A People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles & New Opportunities, says, ‘This report presents research on the preparations for and conduct of African Union summits, from some of the civil society organizations currently working with the African Union to realize its own vision. First, it concludes that, although significant space has been opened up for greater and more sustained participation by a diversity of interested groups, the promise of a people-driven African Union (AU) remains largely unfulfilled. Inadequate institutional capacity and inappropriate policies and procedures have hindered the realization of the vision that the AU should build 'a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society... to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples. . . . There are still considerable difficulties in obtaining access to information about policies and documents under discussion by AU organs, preventing effective participation by Africa's citizens in continental decision- making processes.’”
Twelve years later in 2019, I again expressed disappointment with the AU ECOSOCC when I wrote about the The AU 6th Region Diaspora Initiative Is Failing Members of The Diaspora Whose Ancestors Were Enslaved in the United States. Five years after that, I further expressed disappointment with AU ECOSOCC when Bureaucrats, Gatekeepers Attempted to Sabotage the African Diaspora 6th Region Elections.
After all this time, has the African Union made REPATRIATION and CITIZIZENSHISP the priority during its AU THEME OF THE YEAR? Have formal agreement with African States and the AU pertaining to REPATRIATION and CITIZENSHIP been concluded? Have they even been brought to the table? Are the Afro Descendants in the AU 6th Region equal partners in determining AU principles, policies, and programs?
Incredibly, Kyeretwie Osei, Head of Programmes at the AU ECOSOCC Secretariat in Lusaka, Zambia gave an answer that the AU does not intend such things. Mr. Osei clearly stated that the AU is seeking “different interpretations of reparations . . . .” This can be seen, for example, in the numerous emphasis on “climate justice” with little to no mention of Repatriation and Citizenship. In fact, climate justice is fast becoming the leading talking point of the AU along with “debt relief”, and was butressed by the selection of European Climate Pact Ambassador in Belgium Ms. Fadeke Ayoola to lead off the Consultation’s presentation which focused on the current state of the Pan African financial architecture and and Lydia Chibambo who works with the Zambia Climate Change Network, to close the Consultation.
Mr. Osei then made the audacious and patronizing claim that the “reparations process is AU led . . . designed and created by the AU. . . .” Perhaps this was in response to my article published May 5, the HISTORY OF THE MODERN REPARATIONS MOVEMENT THAT STARTED IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE AFRICAN WORLD in which I documented how the Provisional Government of the Republic of New Afrika (PGRNA) launched the process when it submitted a reparations program called the Anti Depression Program to the National Black Political Convention in Gary, IN in 1972 which led to the establishment, ten years later (1982) of the New York based National Committee to Build the World Tribunal on Black Reparations which then established the rules of the procedure for a convention whose Steering Committee voted to call the organization being built the African National Reparations Organization (ANRO). By November 15 and 16, 1986, ANRO held the Fifth Session of the World Tribunal on Reparations for Black People in the U.S. Serving on the international panel of judges at the Fifth Session were, inter alia, Chaminuka Mnombatha of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azuania-UN Mission; Ousainou Mbenga from Gambia; and Serge Mukendi from the Workers and Peasants Party-Congo. Following that session, the Anti Depression Program adopted at the National Black Political Assembly Convention in 1972 became the basis of the 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐀 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟕 prepared by President of the PGRNA Imari Obadele. By November of 1991, ANRO hosted the 10th Session of the International Tribunal on Reparations for African People in the U.S. (notice the name change) in Philadelphia. Then, on the suggestion of US Congressman Ron Dellums (who had received the Reparations Act submitted by PRGRNA President Imari Obadele) and Jamaican lawyer and diplomat Dudley S. Thompson, the wealthy Nigerian businessman, Chief Bashorun M. K. O. Abiola, who was later elected President of Nigeria, although never permitted to take office, suggested establishing a Group of Eminent Persons (GEP) to pursue reparations for slavery and (perhaps) other wrongs perpetrated on Africa. On 28 June 1992, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) swore in a twelve-member GEP, with Chief Abiola as its Chairman, whose mandate was to pursue the goal of reparations to Africa. This is what led to the First Pan-African Conference on Reparations that was held in Abuja, Nigeria, April 27-29, 1993, sponsored by the (GEP) and the Commission for Reparations of the Organization of African Unity. Chief Abiola was influenced to take up this cause by his contacts in the Congressional Black Caucus in the United States! Thus, Mr. Osei’s statement that the “reparations process is AU led . . . designed and created by the AU. . . .” is a GROSS DISTORTION OF THE HISTORICAL RECORD, an offense to the reparations griots (custodians of the reparations movement history) and further evidence of of the elite and state capture of the peoples’ reparations movement. According to the Founder and CEO of Reparations United, Mr. Kamm Howard, in statements made on the eve of the 2023 Accra Reparations Conference:
“What we are witnessing in the current global reparations movement is a form of elite capture. Officially elite capture in a form of "curruption" where elites siphon off public resources for the benefit of the few. In this regard, we see governments and elite orgs co-opting the challenges and cause of reparations that has historically been a grassroots movement. When the Durban World Conference was held, it was a call by civil society, in particular in 1996 the New York based Atty. Roger Wareham of the December 12 Movement (New York, USA) shares his vision of a world conference against racism with Jabril Adelbagi of Sudan, a high-ranking diplomat at the United Nations, Geneva Switzerland. 1997 UN General Assembly announces there would be a 2001 World Conference Against Racism (WCAR), one year after Roger’s and Jabril’s conversation. This officially brought states into the reparations discussion in one swoop. Not all were on board and many had to be pursuaded in Durban. The outcome was the Durban Declaration and Program of Action. The Caribean States were the first to move as a block with the DDPA. Although Brazil and Zimbawe were the two states that did the most immediately coming out of Durban. (This led to the illegal conviction of DiSiva and the sanctions by the West on Zimbawe. Although DeSilva has returned to power- less-radical however, the sanctions still remain on Zimbawe). Civil society elsewhere, were still the driving forces on the reparations question. Fast foward to the creation of the Permanent Forum and the Accra Summit of 2022. Two initiatives were put forth by civil society that have been captured by the PFPAD -
1) Reparations Presentment to the Vatican to engage in discussions on reparations for inaugurating the TrransAtlanctic Chattelization Wars (as described by Prof. Chinwiezu - who also gave us the concept of internal reparations) After being informed, the Pres of PFPAD sent a letter to the Pope indicating the work of Global Circle for Reparations and Healing thar delivered the Reparations Presentment to the Pope, requesting private conversations. The PFPAD as a body was unaware of this letter nor was the GCRH or any civil society org brought into the discussions or shared with any outcomes.
2) The ICJ opinion on the status of Afro-descendants being prisoners of war. This was raised at PFPAD 1 and as we all know a pettition for adooption was presented a PFPAD 2. What occurred was the capture of this idea by those who have state power to be utilized only for state reparations CARICOM nations.
The Accra Summit. The 2023 Accra Summit is the result of the 2022 Accra Summit that was held by Civil Society - in particular the group of orgs that were funded by MacArthur that later became the Global Circle for Reparations and Healing. (The group that with the help of Siphiwe, authored and delivered the Reparations Presentment to Vatican) Accra 2023 is governments and the AU. They list CARICOM as participants, not the CARICOM Reparations Commission CRC, as they would have to invited the National African American Reparations Commission. However, NAARC, unlike CAR, is civil society. The GCRH were not involved in the planning of Accra 2023 and were just recently invited - as they wanted financial contributions for our participation, which we do not have. Yet they are basing the conference on the work and outcome documents of 2022 Accra Summit, while calling the 2023 Accra Summit an inaugural conference.”
So it is only by recent AU fiat that the reparations process is designed, conceived and led by the AU and that, according to Mr. Osei, the role of the Diaspora is to support the AU and that the diaspora’s civil society role is only to contribute as a junior partner ideas that will “filter through to the negotiators” since, apparently, only they, the AU member states, can proide the “opportunity to break through from activism to results” and “give ourself the best opportunity . . . .” This is AU-speak for the idea that the Afro Descendants’ reparations movement can not be taken seriously and must submit to the politricks of the leadership of the AU big boys. This was underscored by Mr. Osei’s remarks trashing the factionalism in the Diaspora without acknowleding the factionalism within the AU itself. He even went so far as to suggest that no one person or group can speak for the AU 6th Region even though throughout the past twenty years, people have indeed been invited by the AU itself to represent the African Diaspora. On several occasions, I have found myself in situations and events where I was the only Afro Descendant present and indeed, was the de facto spokesperson for Afro Descedants in the AU 6th Region. Indeed, at the ACHPR PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE AFRICAN UNION THEME OF THE YEAR 2025: “JUSTICE FOR AFRICANS AND PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT THROUGH REPARATIONS” on May 10, the Deputy Chair introduced me by saying, “Now, I would like to hear from our Diaspora 6th Region, starting with Mr. Siphiwe Baleka.” In that moment. I was, indeed, speaking for all of my people. . . .
I want now to say emphatically that Afro Descendants in the reparations movement REJECT the idea that the Diaspora must merely support the AU. Rather, it is the other way around. The AU is supposed to be a people-centered organization and it is the AU which must support its “elder brother” which is the Peoples’ led Reparations Movement. The African Union is supposed to pursue the aims and objects that the Peoples’ Reparation Movement have determined will SATISFY them. And, from the perspective of the Afro Descendants, both historically and currently, the FIRST priority is recognition of our Right to Return, a comprehensive citizenship policy to be adopted by all AU member states, and arranging our negotiations with the detaining powers under the Geneva Convention for free dna testing to repair the matrilineal and patrilineal ancestral lineages that were destroyed by the state-sanctioned ethnocide practiced during the Dum Diversas war by the Asiento monopoly war contract holders which include the Catholic Church (the Vatican or Holy See), Portugal, the Genoese (Italy), Spain, the Netherlands, France, and England including the British colonies that became the United States of America. all signatories to the Geneva Convention.
The AU can not have it both ways, claiming we are the 6th Region that was invited and encouraged to FULLY participate in the AU, yet leave us out of formal structures like AU ECOSOCC during the AU theme of the Year, ask us to accept their leadership and stewardship of OUR movement while at the same time failing to provide the internal reparations in the form of citizenship in our ancestral homelands. The AU must first do for Us and asist us in starting formal negotiations in AU member states for our citizenship. Additionally, the AU must fast-track Diaspora inclusion in all AU structures and THEN we can share the leadership as envisoned by Marcus Garvey and many others. This was intended by the Pan African Congress of London in 1900 whose Address to the Nations of the World stated,
“Let the nations of the World respect the integrity and independence of the NEGRO States of Abyssinia, Liberia and Haiti . . . “
It was also intended by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, who, while addressing the House of Parliament in Jamaica on April 21, 1966 stated,
“From another fundamental point of view this is why the Organization of African Unity has been established. It is because the African continent, which comprises more than 250 million people, were it to remain divided among more than 30 states, their individual voices would not carry weight. It is precisely why, since there is an identity of interest, we have attempted to include Jamaica also, so that we can carry this weight in the councils of nations and also through the process of co-operation and expanded economic relations we might be in a position to quicken the pace of development of the individual member countries of the Organization of African Unity.”
THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
IF THE AFRICAN UNION WANTS TO CONTINUE RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM THE AFRO DESCENDANTS IN THE AU 6TH REGION, THEN IT MUST, RESPOND TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL ONLY HASTEN THE COMPLETE SUPPORT OF THE AFRO DESCENDANTS TO THE ALLIANCE OF SAHEL STATES AND ANY MOVEMENT TO ESTABLISH A UNITED AFRICAN STATES BEFORE THE END OF THE DECADE.
Summary outline of 6th Region Recommendations
to
ACHPR PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE AFRICAN UNION THEME OF THE YEAR 2025: “JUSTICE FOR AFRICANS AND PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT THROUGH REPARATIONS”
and to
The AU ECOSOCC Diaspora Consultation
May 27, 2025
presented by
Siphiwe Baleka
DNA Testing
a) convene discussions with the Vatican along with the former holders of the Catholic Church's Asiento monopoly war contracts about their obligation to provide a remedy for the war damage of ethnocide
b) following State of Illinois House of Representatives 103rd General Assembly House Resolutions No. 292 and 0453
c) detaining powers under the Geneva Convention, provide free of charge to all Afro Descendants, both non-recombinant and autosomal DNA testing
Citizenship:
a) the Commission pass a resolution on the Afro Descendants Right to Return
b) the African Union develop a comprehensive 6th Region citizenship policy see: Ethiopia, Ghana and Tanzania reports and Recommendations submitted to the Panel; also: MOTION TO THE AFRICAN UNION EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 39th EXTRAORDINARY SESSIO
Plebiscites:
a) AU grant Observer Status like the OAU did to the self determination movements in the remaining 18 black colonies
b) AU to support plebiscite for self determination in the remaining 18 black colonies
International Court of Justice:
a) assist with the Request for an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Status of Afro Descendants under the Geneva Convention and their Right to Conduct Plebiscites
b) ACHPR/AcHPR own Opinion on the following questions:
(i) Is the Dum Diversas apostolic decree issued by Pope Nicholas V on June 18, 1452 a declaration of “total war” - warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combatant needs - and therefore a war crime and a crime against humanity? Is there a statute of limitation regarding reparations for the Dum Diversas war crimes and crimes against humanity?
(ii) Were the people captured as a result of the Dum Diversas apostolic decree “prisoners of war” and do their descendants retain that status until their final “release and repatriation” under the Geneva Convention?
(iii) Have the Afro Descendants - black folks - now within the United States ever been converted, in accordance with settled principles of universally established law, into United States citizens, and divested altogether of their original foreign African nationality?
(iv) What rights do the Afro Descendants throughout the Americas and Caribbean have to exercise self-determination and conduct plebiscites to discern who wants to repatriate to their ancestral homeland, who wants to establish independent nation states of their own, and who wants to integrate into the states they currently reside?
(v) What are the legal consequences that arise for all States and the United Nations from the above?