Activist: Value black lives

In an Emancipation Day message on Monday, Muhammed said, “At this stage of our current social condition in 2017, the celebration of Emancipation must be centred on the condemnation of gang violence and establishment of peace in our communities through the eradication of guns and illegal drugs and the promotion of a consciousness emphasising the value and worth of young black lives.” “The uncontrollable bloodshed in our country is becoming so common that a desensitisation process is taking place while we celebrate our African history, but ignore our contemporary reality.” Muhammed alleged that politicians of African descent neglect their communities, while supporting non-African ethnic groups.

“Over the last half century Afro-based political parties have facilitated a pathway for non-African communities to graduate from the lower social classes to a new middle class. We are not requesting any special treatment or privileges for African people, but simply equal treatment as other races in our society receive.” He urged that in this United Nations decade for people of African Decent and along with the call for reparation for slavery, elected officials must be more mindful of the chronic neglect that poor black communities suffer.

“Our organisation, the Black Agenda Project continues to build our education centre in Success Laventille to help teach, inspire, motivate and improve our collective condition, but Government must be more sensitive to their responsibility as it pertains to the exclusive plight of the Black community in Trinidad and Tobago,” Muhammed said.