On 26 April 2023, at the Maison des associations in Strasbourg, Mr Grégory Thuan Dit Dieudonné and Érick Cakpo led a conference on a topic that remains highly topical: reparations for slavery, from both historical and legal perspectives.

⚖️ Two contrasting perspectives

  • Érick Cakpo provided some historical context
  • Mr Thuan Dit Dieudonné addressed the issue from a legal perspective: what can the law do today in the face of a crime committed over a century and a half ago?

📜 A historical paradox

When slavery was abolished in 1848, it was not the enslaved people who were compensated, but their former owners. It was not until the Taubira Act of 21 May 2001 that France recognised slavery and the slave trade as crimes against humanity. However, the question of reparations remains unresolved.

The key questions

  • Can reparations be made for a crime committed so long ago, and how?
  • Who can claim reparation, and from whom?
  • Financial, symbolic or commemorative reparation: what forms might this take?

Why it is essential

The law was initially used to organise slavery. Today, it can be used to recognise its victims. Considering reparations raises a question of justice that concerns society as a whole.