BRITISH Prime Minister Rishi Sunak`s refusal to apologise for the UK`s historical role in slave trade and colonialism has hit a nerve. Mr Sunak faced a question in the Commons by a Black Labour MP who said former prime ministers had `only ever expressed sorrow or deep regret` and wondered whether he would offer a `full and meaningful apology for our country`s role in slavery and colonialism`. The question came just days after it emerged that the descendants of Britain`s wealthiest slave owners had called for an apology and `restorative justice` for the slave trade through which their ancestors got rich. This is not the first time, and certainly not the only country, where people have demanded an apology and reparations. In the US, academics, activists and members of the public have for years demanded an apology from Congress for the slave trade that lasted till the early 1800s. Their argument was strengthened when the US apologised for other acts of dehumanising behaviour, such as towards World War II Japanese internees. In 2022, the Netherlands became the first Western nation to formally apologise for `participating in and profiting from` the slave trade. Though the UK has in the past `expressed regret`, its leaders have stopped short of issuing an unequivocal apology. Similarly, British officials have on occasion acknowledged the negative impact of colonialism, yet no official apology has been made to the countries that were colonised countries whose resources the British exploited and whose people it subjugated. Ironically, the legacy of British colonialism is seen today in the political, economic and social systems of many countries it had colonised.

These apologies must come, and should be the first step in righting the wrongs of Britain`s tainted history. The slave trade was a violation of human rights, promoted racial prejudice and caused unfathomable suffering. Avoiding such an apology is akin to gaslighting those who still suffer from the effects of these criminal actions.