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Denis O'Brien: Why Ireland must support the Caribbean’s call for reparatory justice

As a former British colony, our nation profoundly understands the devastating legacy of colonialism and as such must lend our voice to this vital global justice issue
Denis O'Brien: Why Ireland must support the Caribbean’s call for reparatory justice

A camp set up by people displaced from their homes by gang violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in April. Picture: AP/Odelyn Joseph

The Caribbean has been central to my life and career for the last 25 years. I have witnessed firsthand the extraordinary potential of this vibrant region, but also the deep colonial historical scars that still profoundly affect its people. 

The Caribbean’s ongoing challenges stem directly from over 300 years of European colonialism and the genocidal transatlantic slave trade, during which more than 4.7 million people were forcibly shipped to the region, reduced to property and subjected to the most unimaginable daily brutality.

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