Racism embedded in British institutions
Racism remains “embedded” in Britain’s institutions and daily life. Baroness Howells told conference today.
The Labour peer, who has worked tirelessly for race equality, addressed delegates immediately after they voted to continue the union’s campaign against the BNP.
A descendant of an enslaved African, Baroness Howells spoke about the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade by the UK parliament. She commented that “Britain was very, very good at slavery, just as it was great at colonialism.”
There had been many positive steps forward in the past 200 years, she said, including the Race Relations Act and the current government’s commitment to community cohesion and social inclusion.
“But I would argue that emotions retain their depth and strength, because the racism that flourished then, lingers on, remaining embedded in our institutions and daily life.”
The fact that the killers of Stephen Lawrence were known, but still free, was one terrible example of that fact, she said. The baroness is a trustee of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust.
She told conference that, to mark the bicentenary, she would like to see an institute founded that would reflect on the lessons learned from that part of Britain’s history.
“I would also like there to be a symbolic legacy – a statue of the unknown slave, just as we have a tomb of the unknown warrior in Westminster Abbey,” she said.
“We do not worship that warrior, rather we revere him for his sacrifice. Similarly with the statue we would recognise the humanity of the slave, and recoil in horror at his transformation into disposable property.”
UNISON news.
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=3443
