about us

Operation TRUTH 2007 is a campaign to put an Afrikan centred perspective on local and national government plans to commemorate 200 years since the Abolition of the so called Slave Trade in 1807.

We are the pioneers of a nationally co-ordinated campaign against Abolition 200 and have coalitions in various parts of the country, all committed to undermining the Wilberfarce fiasco.

We are set up to explode the myth that the local and national government plans to mark the alleged Abolition of the ‘slave trade’ are something that is being done in the interest of people of Afrikan descent. As a coalition, our discussions with the agents of power on local and national arena in the UK have served to reinforce this view. It is our duty to act in the interest of our people and campaign so that Afrikan people are not used in a cynical, insincere, audacious attempt for the social, political and economic gains of others.

About our logo

Operation TRUTH 2007 uses key symbols taken from an Afrikan context to express ourselves.

The ‘O’ as well as being the first letter of a word, is a complete circle representing 360° of knowledge. The knowledge that we are seeking to know and tell our people is the TRUTH about our history and the truth about others who are abusing our history, heritage and culture for their own ends. Knowledge or wisdom is associated with many life forms not least an owl who can turn its head 360°.

However a much older example of knowledge, wisdom and truth is found in ancient Kemetic (Egyptian) symbolism. The netcher (deity/goddess) Ma’at, is symbolic of 7 virtues: Truth, Justice, Righteousness, Harmony, Reciprocity, Balance and Order. Ma’at is symbolized by an Ostrich Feather and is used in the western legal system as a symbol of Justice. The phrase ‘Your heart must be as light as a feather’ is derived from the 7 virtues and is used as a tool of judgment in the ancient Kemetic judgment scene.

The scene depicted in the image below shows an individual being judged before they are deemed fit to pass over into the afterlife. Before passing into the afterlife the soul (heart) of the deceased is weighed up against the feather of Ma’at that is, judged. Should their heart be found to be heavier than the feather (i.e the person has not lived a honest an upright life) then they are denied passage into the afterlife and are devoured by a jackal.

The feather of Ma’at within the ‘O’ is therefore a fitting symbol which represents our purpose and mission.

Our values and beliefs

As a self determined unapologetic campaign, we do not feel our destiny lies in the hands of the people who have power over us and do not love us.

We do not believe that those who have wealth or power will give it up at their expense and that they posses the same exploitative traits that led them to inveigle and eventually enslave us.

The TRUTH is…………

No! – they will never teach Afrikan centered history in schools as a mandatory part of the curriculum!
No! – they will never grant us reparations without conditions that tie us into a state of dependency!
No! – they will not designate a remembrance day unless it is one where they can seek to gain political & economic mileage and credibility!
No!- they will not cancel debts in Afrikan countries without replacing it with something else to keep Mama Afrika from progressing!
No! –they will not give your organisation any significant funding if you play their game!
No! –they will not give you anything which is lasting and effectively generates wealth and power in our communities.
Just like the Crack cocaine in our community Abolition/Wliberfarce 200 is a short term hit with a short term high! We will then fall lower than we were before!

The MAAFA* (so called ‘slave trade’) was an act of genocide committed against Afrikan peoples and we know that this inhumane and wrongful act is still impacting on Afrikans in the Diaspora and continues to blight the lives of Afrikans on the continent today. The law passed on March 25th, 1807 in the British Statute books is one that is insignificant to the Afrikan community as it made no difference to our social, legal, economic or political standing. We were still considered to be soulless beings who were less than human. It was at the time argued that it would be cruel to free us as we would be incapable of ‘coping’ with our freedom.

There is little doubt that the 2007 ‘Celebration/Commemoration’ will go ahead because of the political backing, however people of Afrikan descent have a right to determine what aspects of this traumatic period in our history should be commemorated and in what way. The fight for freedom and our continued quest for justice in the education system, housing, employment and mental health and penal institutions, demonstrates that our situation has not changed to any great extent.

The Afrikan community views this whole episode, not just as being about history, but also current affairs. We also view it in political, economic and psychological terms. To this end we feel that the descendents and beneficiaries of the oppressor should not be defining the terms and conditions in which people they have and continue to oppress, acknowledge and respond to the nature of their oppression whether historical or present day.

We would not consider it appropriate for example, for Germans to be calling the shots, giving ‘funding’ or defining the parameters of any event in relation to the Jewish Holocaust, nor would we feel it is appropriate for men to be mobilising and organising and defining the terms of any anniverseral celebration of the sex discrimination act 1975. How many of us feel it is appropriate for a woman who has experienced violence and sexual violation by a man to then be told that you must conduct your journey of healing as defined by men?

Operation TRUTH 2007 is here to highlight the fact that the 2007 ‘events’ is nothing more than a PR exercise where local authorities and the government will again generate wealth and credibility by exploiting the descendents of enslaved Afrikans 200 years on from the alleged abolition. In the same way that the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 did not end discrimination against women, the Race Relations Act 1976 did not end racism and discrimination against ‘Black’ people. 1807 was the date a law was passed, not a date where we witnessed a change in practice, attitudes, values or the cessation of the generation of wealth from this activity, the wealth which is evident in the city of Bristol and others today. The very fact that it is considered something to ‘celebrate’ commemorate or acknowledge (with or without consultation with Afrikan Caribbean people) demonstrates that the city councils totally lack understanding and sensitivity about the depth of offence that this has caused.

Operation TRUTH 2007 is not asking to sit around the table and negotiate with or be consulted by the very people who symbolize and carry out acts of oppression towards us. We are saying that the effects of the enslavement of our Ancestors are still with us and the passing of a law has no relevance in this respect.

Hail our Freedom Fighters of the MAAFA*, let us stand on their shoulders as the new foot soldiers of the liberation battles we must face in 2007 and beyond. We are facing a psycho-spiritual attack called ‘Abolition 200’ by Bristol City Council. Even now they are still trying to condition us and break our spirit.

Are you going to let them?

Some key facts

• They did not abolish the ‘slave trade’ because they cared about us. Following major uprisings (rebellions) in the Caribbean and industrialisation, slavery became unprofitable and difficult to maintain

• The transporting of enslaved Afrikans was made illegal in 1807 but slavery (on the plantations) was not made illegal until 1833

• In 1833 compensation was paid to slave owners, plantation owners and merchants totaling over $20 million. Nothing was paid to Afrikans or Afrika then or now

• In 2007 through poor education and an inappropriate curriculum our children are still underachieving. Our brothers are still being locked up for crimes that others get fines or non custodial sanctions for. We are still overrepresented in mental health statistics. We are still being murdered because of the colour of our skin. The system is still attacking us and we still think we are free!

Operation TRUTH 2007 SAYS:
You can’t commemorate something that hasn’t happened yet!

SO WHAT’S NEW? WHAT’S CHANGED?
WHAT’S THERE TO COMMEMORATE?

Operation TRUTH 2007 is based on several key principles:

We the Afrikan people also known as Black British or Afrikan Caribbean etc were victorious in resisting the enslavement of our people and can be victorious again. Our liberation was taken by us, not given by others!

The decision to focus on 2007 corresponds with a date that they can claim as their victory because it says ‘we freed them’. This is typical of the mindset of those who continue to keep us Afrikan Caribbean people down and lacks any understanding of the deep offence caused by asking us to take part in their 2007 ‘commemoration’. OT2007 says:
If someone has abused you and tried to kill your family do they have the right to tell you how to heal?

The activities of our community concerning a personal and collective traumatic period in our history should be decided by the people it affected.

We should decide when and how our history is reflected and a focus on that period in history should be one that tells a story of our strength and resilience. Our purpose, our current situation in 2007 is directly linked to this period of our oppression which has been recognised by the United Nations as a crime against Humanity

The local authority plans for their ‘Abolition 200’ events is nothing more than an opportunity for those who keep us down to further ease their conscience, gain political mileage, make individual names for themselves and ultimately continue to keep us down with promises of funding for organisations and giving our so called community leaders high profile around their table. We have our own table to sit around and will not work in a way that we can be used by them for their own gains.

We Say

‘No people can hand over their history and humanity to alien hands and expect justice and respect’

‘The master’s tool will never dismantle the master’s house’

‘Emancipate yourself from mental slavery none but ourselves can free our mind’