ILLINOIS STATE REPRESENTATIVE CAROL AMMONS AND BBHAGSIA PRESIDENT SIPHIWE BALEKA DISCUSS AFRICAN AMERICAN PRISONER OF WAR STATUS, ETHNOCIDE AND THE PLEBISCITE FOR SELF DETERMINATION

Spetember 23, Bisssu - BBHAGSIA President Siphiwe Baleka apeared on the WEFT 90.1 fm Higher Ground radio program with Illinois State Representative Carol Ammons to discuss the status of African Americans as prisoners of war, the ethnocide that was committed against them and the need to frame reparations under a plebiscite for self determination. During the program, Mr. Baleka explained the pitfalls of using the established “slave trade” historical narrative in the quest for reparations and advocating framing the issue as state sanctioned trafficking of prisoners of war and state-sanctioned ethnocide. Reparations is generally understood as remedy for damage incurred in war and not for “trade”. Listen to the full discussion here which starts around the 25:00 mark.

Earlier, on May 24 of this year, Representative Ammons succeeded in passing Illinois House Resolution 292 that declares the State of Illinois should take the lead on issues of Pan-Africanism, citizenship in Africa, and reparatory justice, and the State should champion the Eighth Pan-African Congress Part 1 (8PAC1) and its agenda to develop a continental-wide diaspora citizenship plan, establish the African Diaspora as the 6th Region of the African Union (AU), and determine a permanent headquarters for the 6th Region. Calls upon the State to immediately, through its African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission (ADCRC), provide matrilineal and patrilineal DNA testing through African ancestry to determine the ancestral lineages and territories of origin of its Black residents so that they can seek citizenship in their ancestral homelands, if so desired. Calls upon the State to become the first to conduct a repatriation census in preparation for honoring President Abraham Lincoln's desire for voluntary repatriation with compensation and to make conducting the repatriation census its immediate priority.

BBHAGSIA President Siphiwe Baleka Presents at the Future Black America Conference, September 19

On Friday, September 19th, BBHAGSIA Founder and President Siphiwe Baleka talked with Yul Anderson - President-Founder African American Future Society about the future of Black America, the Permament Forum of People of African Descent, pursing justice in international courts, the developments in West Africa, and more. You can watch the discussion at the video below and see all the presentation at

FUTURE BLACK AMERICA CONFERENCE

Nkechi Taifa's Human Rights and Justice Podcast: Episode 52 Featuring Siphiwe Baleka

This is the one year anniversary episode of Human Rights and Justice, Episode 52, featuring the words and works of Brother Siphiwe Baleka. This is his third visit to Human Rights and Justice, this time highlighting the importance of international law heralding from Malcolm X and Imari Obadele, the issue of a plebiscite for Black People in the U.S., petition to the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent for an inquiry to the International Court of Justice for a ruling on the status of Black people, and more!

Decade of Return to Guinea Bissau Coordinator Siphiwe Baleka meets with the New Minister of Tourism, Faustino Mamadu Saliu Jaló

Faustino Mamadu Saliu Jaló was born on April 30, 1963, in Gabú. He studied communication engineering from 1987 to 1994 at the University of Coimbra (engineering faculty). Secretary General of the Guinean Workers' Party (PTG). He was Prime Minister Dr. Faustino Imbali's chief of staff. He was also chief of staff for the former President of the Transitional Republic, Henrique Pereira Rosa. He was Inspector General of Social Communication. He now holds the post of Secretary of State for Tourism.

September 6, Bissau - Decade of Return Coordinator and Coordinator of the Lineage Restoration Council of Guinea Bissau, Mr. Siphiwe Baleka, met with the new Minister of Tourism, Faustino Mamadu Saliu Jaló, to discuss the Decade of Return progam that was officially launched on February 23, 2021 under State Secretary of Tourism Nhima Sisse in partnership with the Balanta B’urassa History & Genealogy Society in America. Mr. Baleka, who met with the former State Secretary of Tourism Fernando Vaz when he replaced Ms. Nhima Sisse, met with the new State Secretary Jaló to discuss the potential of the Decade of Return program and to advise the new Secretary on how the Ministry of Tourism can develop the program.

“As I have done with each of the State Secretaries of Tourism in the past three years, I explain what the Ministry of Tourism needs to do in order to benefit from a ‘Year of Return’ program much like Ghana and Sierra Leone,” said Mr. Baleka, who has become the chief connection to the country for African American people that have taken the African Ancestry dna test and discovered that their maternal or paternal ancestors are Balanta, Fula, Djola, Brame, Mandinka or other descendant of Guinea Bissau. “It’s important for the Ministry of Tourism to understand that the descendants have ties to other countries, and they aren’t just going to come to Guinea Bissau as their only option. The country is not well-known and there are language barriers. The Ministry of Tourism will have to compete for their tourism. When they do, we can expect to see a significant increase in toursim from a completely new sector of people.”

February 8, 2021 Decade of Return meeting with Secretary of Tourism, Nhima Sisse (3rd from left), her Chief of Staff (1st from left), and the Assistant to the Minister of Sport and former Decade of Return Coordinator Balanto Djassi( aka Yama Cisse, 2nd from left below).

However, despite having concluded five group tours under the Decade of Return program, the government’s engagement has been slow and limited. Mr. Baleka cites the citizenship process as one example.

“I explained to Secretary Jaló that 23 descednats of prisoners of war that were captured from territories in Guinea Bissau, have applied for Guinea Bissau citizenship as is their right under international law and specifically the Geneva Convention which Guinea Bissau is signatory to,” said Mr. Baleka. “However, its been over a year and a half since they have applied for citizenship and paid the $600 fee and they still have not yet received their citizenship. The delay in granting citizenship is creating doubt and uncertainty and threatening the sincereity and reputation of the government of Guinea Bissau.”

During the Second Decade of Return Group in June of 2021, Balanta descendants, including Kamm Howard (former NCOBRA National Co-Chair and current Director of Reparations United ) and Robin Rue Simmons (former 5th Ward Alderman for the City of Evanston, IL, where she led, in collaboration with others, the passage of the nation’s first municipally-funded reparations legislation for Black resident and current Founder and Executive Director of FirstRepair) expressed the deisre for citizenship.

Immediately after the June meeting, the former State Secretry of Tourism issued the following letter to the Prime Minister:

GOVERNMENT OF GUINEA BISSAU; MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND CRAFTS
MINISTER'S OFFICE AND GOVERNMENT SPEECH

Your Excellency

Eng Nuno Gomes Nabian
Prime Minister

BISSAU:
Bissau, June 25, 2021

Subject: Request of Acquisition of Nationality to African American Descendants of Guinea Bissau

No. Ref 2/ GMTA/2021

Excellency,
The Minister of Tourism and Crafts presents His best and respectful greetings to your Excellency, with the best wishes of success in the performance of your noble role for the development of Guinea-Bissau. We inform you that within the framework of our partnership, the members of the "Balanta Burassa History and Genealogy Society in the United States” began to return to their origins through an initiative called “Decade of Return” in which we have already received two groups of this audience. According to DNA tests, they discovered that they originate from Guinea-Bissau. As an initiative of capital importance for the tourist sector in Guinea Bissau, associated with the aforementioned factors, we hereby request the good offices of Your Excellency, in order to authorize the start of the process for the acquisition of nationality to these people, according to the attached documents. It should be noted that an inter-ministerial commission was created for this purpose, in which an element of the Ministry of Justice has guided this entire nationality application process. No more subject for the moment. Accept my distinct consideration.

Fernando Vaz, Minister of Tourism

On November 26, 2021 a third Decade of Return group came to Guinea Bissau and a meeting was held with Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabian and Minister of Tourism and Crafts and Government Spokesman, FERNANDO VAZ, who assured that “everything will be done to accelerate the process of naturalization of the African Americans.”

November 26, 2021 meeting with Balanta B’urasa History and Genealogy Society in America President Siphiwe Baleka 1st from left); Sylvia Robey (3rd from left); former Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabian (center); former State Secretary of Tourism Fernando Vaz (5th from left); and Djola History and Genealogy Society in America President Jewell Felder-James (far right).

Despite the public pronounced support for granting citizenship to the lost descendants of the Balanta, Djola, Fula, Brame and others, their citienship applications still sit at the Council of Minister awaiting final approval and signature. Says Mr. Baleka,

“We hope the new administration, and particularly the State Secretary of Tourism Faustino Mamadu Saliu Jaló will quickly finish the naturalization process by approving the applications in their Council of Ministers meeting before the end of the month and then prepare and coordinate the citizenship ceremony with the Decade of Return Coordinators for their upcoming tours in November 2023, February 2024 and May 2024. This will be the catalyst for a significant increase in tourism from the people of Guinea Bissau who were kidnapped from their families and enslaved in the Americas. Secretary Jaló said that we can count on him.”

Siphiwe Baleka, President of the Guinea Bissau Swimming Federation meets with the new Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Mr. Albino Gomes

The new Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Albino Gomes. Albino Gomes was born on October 20, 1967, in Cacheu. Graduated in Law from the Faculty of Law of Bissau, he specialized in Civil Law and Civil Procedure at the National Institute of Judicial Studies in Luanda (INEJ) in 2005. In 2000 he joined the Judiciary, as Chief Judge of the Third Court. He was appointed Chief Judge of the Sectorial Court of Bissau – Sintra (III – Judgment) in 2000 and later promoted to the category of Judge of Law, being placed on the Crime Rod of the Regional Court of Bissau. He was Legal Adviser to several State institutions and consultant for several laws and statutes. Leader of the PAIGC, he served as Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy, as well as reaching the position of Director General of Customs and now appointed to exercise the position of Minister of Justice and Human Rights.

September 1, 2023, Bissau - The President of the Guinea Bissau Swimming Federation, Siphiwe Baleka, met with the new Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Albino Gomes, to discuss the pending frivolous litigation that is preventing the Federation from functioning, entering swimmers in competition including the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and ultimately depriving young people in the country great opportunities to train under one of the greatest black swimmers in history.

Although President Baleka successfully legalized the swimming federation on April 12, 2022, the President of the Guina Bissau National Olympic Committee, Mr. Sergio Mane, has led an effort to block the country’s best swimmer from competing and helped initiate litigation against the legal federation in July of 2022. Although a hearing was later set last year, neither the judge nor the party initiating the litigation showed up. Since then, nothing has been done to adjudicate the case.

“We hoped the new Minister of Justice would be able to do something to see that the case concludes within thirty days so that the Federation can be eligible to compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris ,” said President Baleka. “This would bring a lot of positive publicity to the country as well as resources to be used to help Guinea Bissau athletes and develop the sports infrastructure. Unfortunately, Minister Albino Gomes stated that there was nothing he could do and suggested we go to the Ministry of Sport.”

Though Ms. Indira Cabral Embaló is the new Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport as a result of the July elections, President Baleka stated that he was not too optimistic. The previous Minister of Sport, Augusto Gomes, was complicit in helping Mr. Mane block Mr. Baleka from competing at last year’s CANA Zone 2 West African Swimming Championships in which Mr. Baleka would have won the country’s first ever medals in the sport.

Outgoing Minister of Sport, Augusto Gomes, with Guinea Bissau Swimming Federation President Siphiwe Baleka, meeting in May 2022. With this handshake, Minister Gomes agreed to provide President Baleka with a Certificate of Recognition and instructed him to return the next day to receive it. After weighting for six hours in his office, Minister Gomes refused the certificate which prevented President Baleka, who is also the country’s best swimmer, from competing in several competitions in 2022, including the World Championships, which has cost Mr. Baleka several sponsorships, contracts and endorsements.

“This is the fourth Minister of Sport in the last two years. If that office could resolve the matter, we wouldn’t be in this situation today.” Indeed, after a year, the outgoing Minister of Sport, Mr. Augusto Gomes, finally issued a generic Certificate of Recognition on June 27, 2023 - a full year after he initially promised it. However, when asked to contact World Aquatics on behalf of Federation President Siphiwe Baleka to secure the recognition from the international governing body of the sport, the Minister of Sport refused.

“Nothing on the generic certificate that former Minister of Sport Augusto Gomes issued indicates who is the President of the legally registered swimming federation in Guinea Bissau. So it does nothing to resolve the case, “ said President Baleka. “If I drop the certificate and John Smith picks it up and presents it, does that mean John Smith is the swim federation President? So we need the new Minister of Sport, Ms. Indira Cabral Embaló, to contact World Aquatics on our behald and tell them clearly that the National Olympic Committee does not decide who is the legal federation, it is the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Sport, and both of them recognize the legally registered Swimming Federation, of which I am its duly elected President.”

The new Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Ms. Indira Cabral Embaló

Meanwhile, all the evidence from both parties were submitted to the court a year ago. The court could resolve the case once and for all. But the Minister of Justice says he is powerless to do anything. Thus imputy allows Mr. Mane to continue interfering in the swim federation’s business and justice for Mr. Baleka, who estimates his financial losses at almost 200 million CFA (US $300,000) remains elusive. The questions must be asked of the President of the National Olympic Committee: why is he trying to prevent the development of the swimming federation which could add two more swimmers to the roster for the next Olympics? Isn’t this a betrayal of his duty?

Acoording to Mr. Baleka, “There’s a Balanta proverb, 𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐚𝐥𝐞. "The sorcerer (or witch) never denounces himself" meaning 𝑾𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 (𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔).”

AU-ADS Sixth Region High Council Africa Facilitator Calls for Country Facilitators to Assist with The Right To Return Repatriation Process

August 10, Dar Es Salam, Tanzania - The Coordinator of the 6th Region African Diaspora Alliance In Tanzania (6RADAT), Mrs. Grace Abena James who serves as the Facilitator for the AU-ADS Sixth Region High Council - Africa region, is inviting African Diasporans who have rematriated to become country facilitators. If you are interested in assisting with the Right to Return Repatriation Process, please complete the form below.

* African Diasporans Living on the African Continent only *

As a Facilitator for AUADS & SRDC, I would like to officially engage you to participate in the organizing process for the 6th Region African Diaspora currently domiciled on the Continent. Information is needed for a report that will form a part of the implementation recommendations for the member states across the continent, in order for our Repatriation to go smoother. As you have noticed, many countries are now putting Diaspora policies in place, so we need this info to get our plan of action included. Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability and help us to advocate for the changes we need.

Pan African 6th Region Facilitators Monitoring, Strategic & Policy Working Group

Endorse the N’COBRA Health Commission Millions for Mutulu: The Dr. Mutulu Shakur Public Health Peoples Campaign

Whereas Dr. Mutulu Shakur, a pioneer, revolutionary public health social innovator, has lived an
exemplary life for this people born August 8 1950 and took spiritual ascension on July 7, 2023;

Whereas he was acknowledged, in universal recognition by the N’COBRA HEALTH COMMISSION (NHC) Mutulu Declaration on his 72nd birthday, his spirit will forever live in the hearts, souls and work of the people;

Whereas each August 8th shall be celebrated annually as DR. MUTULU SHAKUR COMMUNTY HEALTH DAY;

Whereas NHC has embarked upon a campaign to enroll millions to continue his work;

Whereas this Dr. Mutulu Shakur Community Public Health Peoples Campaign is an organized strategy to teach and practice the Mutulu 5 point ear acupressure to optimize the health of the Black community and assert Black Health Self-Determination;

Whereas this campaign started in 2022 with the reading of the declaration in New York City, set as year 1;

Whereas on year two, 2023 the goal is to register 100 organizations to read the Dr. Mutulu Shakur Declaration in round robin, each person taking a turn reading a paragraph, during the month of Black August 2023;

Whereas each organization commits to watch Dope is Death, organize community events in celebration of Ancestor Dr. Mutulu Shakur;

Whereas each year efforts will be waged to recruit and train acupressure community healers;

Whereas each year and hereafter shall increase participation by 10 fold to reach 1 Million by 2027;

Whereas in year 2024 1000 organization shall participate, in year 2025 10,000, in year 2026 100,000, finally in year 2027 1 million shall participate;

Whereas your organization is committed to this campaign by your registration;

Whereas this campaign will revolutionize our community’s commitment and practice of positive health protocols, including the dedicated Balanta 4 minute fitness workout;

Whereas we move forward to acquire, wellbeing and reparations,

We declare victory and Health self-determination.

Register Your Organization

Tanya, Susana & the Djola (aka Felupe) Essangai: A Story for the Lineage Restoration Council of Guinea Bissau

Tanya is a young woman. Susana is a town in the northwest corner of Guinea Bissau, West Africa. The Djola/Felupe are a people and Essangai is a ceremony. This is a story about all of them.

Daiana and I realised that neither of us had the traditional cleaning and cooking skills, nor had the time or desire to develop them. So we decided to hire some “house help” to do shopping and take care of the house. The first girl we interviewed didn’t “fit the bill” as we say. The second girl we interviewed was perfect.

Tanya is a young girl with a vibrant personality. She started working in our home and immediately made our house better. Daiana gives her a shopping list and list of chores and like magic, everything gets done.

Tanya told us that she needed some time off to take her son to the town of Susana for a special ceremony called Essangai. It is held to prepare for the 30-year “Fanado” initiation. To show Tanya that we were interested in her life, we decided to go with her. It was also an opportunity to make connections with the Djola people, also called Felupe, for the Decade of Return initiative we have developed here in Guinea Bissau. So, on Sunday July 23, at 7:30 am, we joined Tanya and her family to head out on the four hour journey…

After we arrived, we settled in, met Isabel, Tanya’s mother-in-law, and greeted everyone on the compound as is the custom. Village life in Susana is pretty much like village life everywhere else in Guinea Bissau

Later, I had the opportunity to see Tanya in her village life. It was both mundane and fascinating!

Enter the Iran Spirit of Susana

The men draped in black - they are those who were caught by the “Iran” (pronounced ee-RAH-n ) - some kind of spirit that controls the region. The Iran catches women, too, but at this time it is concerned with the men.

On Monday morning, I saw a group of men walking. They were holding someone and it appeared strange to me, as if they had caught a thief. Then I heard what sounded like shouts of joy. Sure enough, Mama was smiling and cheering and dancing.

Daiana explained to me that Mama Isabela was happy the Iran had caught someone and that it wasn’t her .son, Tanya’s baby daddy. The household was relieved. And thus started my strange education into Felupe culture and the town of Susana.

“How did the Iran choose who to enter? How do the people know that someone has been chosen by the Iran?” I asked. Auntie put her finger to one eye, pulled down the skin under it, and said, “Only those with the ‘third eye’ can see.”

No one could quite tell me what or who this Iran was. I wanted to know the story, but the more questions I asked the more it seemed people were becoming irritated.

Was the Iran a good or evil spirit? How did it come to Susana? Why?

We were told that when the village disregards tradition and obligations, the Iran becomes angry. The Iran periodically chooses or “catches” someone who then becomes responsible for keeping the traditions and serving as a spiritual advisor for the rest of their life. And it is for this reason that family secretly hope that the Iran doesn’t take one of their members. Indeed, it was for this reason that Tanya’s baby daddy mysteriously disappeared as soon as we started our journey to Susana. Apparently he was trying to escape being “caught” by the Iran in Susana. The Iran chooses capable men and thus more and more guys, educated in the city and modern ways, fear returning to Susana and getting caught. They can try to escape or refuse, but this would certainly result in death. But then, what of Tanya and her young son? If his father is caught by the Iran, the father would have to go away and live secluded in the village, no longer able to work and provide for his family. If he tries to escape or refuse, it could be much worse. . . .

Those who were caught this season by the Iran don’t look happy and while everyone else is celebrating, these families are grieving….

It was now time for us to get ready to attend the ceremony on the first night of Essangai. It was definitely an exciting time for everyone!

In between the 30-year Fanado initiation, the Djola (Felupe) hold three ceremonies to do a kind of census of all the boys and men in the village who must prepare for Fanado. Each of the nearby villages does this at different times.

And just as soon as night 1 of Essangai got started, so, too, did a torrential downpour. Only the diehard faithfull stayed with the dancers. The rest of us fled for shelter!

The next morning, we were invited to “bim kumi” - come eat - from the community pot under the big tree.

With nothing to do during the day, I introduced the game “Connect Four” to the house. It was a big hit and for the rest of the visit, there was non-stop Connect Four games boys and girls, all ages.

Finally, it was time to go to night 2 of Essangai ceremony.

This time, we returned before the rains! Of course, more pots of pig were cooking to feed everyone again through the night.

Night 3 of Essangai was epic.

On the fourth day, I wanted to talk to the elders and deliver a message on behalf of the Lineage Restoration Council of Guinea Bissau and the Decade of Return Initiative. This, however, was proving to be a little bit difficult due to all the activity going on in Susana as well as the fact that since we were not initiated into the Felupe society, we couldn’t talk to the elders directly. Thus, we had to meet with initiated young men who could carry our message to the elders. We also went about the town to find Adriano who is Felupe but speaks English and can help us with a Djola (Felupe) - English dictionary and language lessons.

Night 4 of Essangai was also epic

The final night we returned to the house to, you guessed it, eat more pig, sit and talk. At 4:30 am, it was time to walk into the village center and catch the bus to go to San Domingo where we were to catch a second bus to return to Bissau. We were sore and tired but thankful to have witnessed Essangai 2023 and become part of Tanya’s family in Susana.

Tanya and her son.

PFPAD President Epsy Campbell Barr’s Official Response to the Mandate Requesting an ICJ Advisory Opinion.

UPDATE: Siphiwe Baleka to Address U.S. State Department on Balanta in America Self Determination and Right to Return to Guinea Bissau

__________________________________________________________________________________________

June 21, 2023 - Siphiwe Baleka, Founder and President of the Balanta B’urassa History & Genealogy Society in America (BBHAGSIA) , has been invited by the U.S. State Department to address the ICCPR July 12 Civil Society Consultation regarding the United States’ upcoming presentation to the Committee on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Optional Protocols.

The President of BBHAGSIA has submitted a 10-page statement ahead of the meeting outlining BBHAGSIA’s three -year campaign calling for the United States to recognize the U.S. state-sanctioned ethnocide committed against Balanta people in America, and to provide reparations in the form of recognition to Balanta people in America as a federally recognized ethnic group similar to the 566 federally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native Tribes; land concessions and autonomous self government similar to that of the 326 Indian land areas in the U.S. administered as federal Indian reservations; and negotiated voluntary repatriation with compensation back to their ancestral homelands in Guinea Bissau. Now, for the first time, Siphiwe Baleka will be able to speak directly to officials of the United States government.

As requested, Siphiwe Baleka submitted the following questions to the U.S. State Department:

Q1. What remedies are available to the Balanta people in America for redress for ethnocide?

Q2. Will the government of the United States of America engage in negotiations with the Balanta people, the government of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, the Vatican, and the Government of Portugal, under the Geneva Convention, for the final “release and repatriation” of the descendants of the Balanta, Fulani, Mandinga, Papel, Manjaco, Beafada, Brame (Mancanha), Bijago, Djola (Felupe), Mansoaca prisoners of war who were trafficked to and enslaved in America?

Q3. How can the Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America engage in the process of receiving reparations for the crimes of slavery and ethnocide?

Additionally, Mr. Baleka asks the government of the United States to answer the same questions posed in the MANDATE FROM THE AFRO DESCENDANT PEOPLE ISSUED TO THE PERMANENT FORUM ON PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT TO REQUEST AN ADVISORY OPINION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE ON THEIR STATUS AS PRISONERS OF WAR UNDER THE GENEVA CONVENTION that invokes Article 96 of the United Nations Charter, Article 65 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, and UN Resolution 75/314:

(a) Is the Dum Diversas apostolic decree issued by Pope Nicholas V on June 18, 1452 a declaration of “total war” - warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combatant needs - and therefore a war crime and a crime against humanity? Is there a statute of limitation regarding reparations for this war crime and crime against humanity?

(b) Were the people captured as a result of the Dum Diversas apostolic decree “prisoners of war” and do their descendants retain that status until their final “release and repatriation” under the Geneva Convention?

(c) Have the Afro Descendants - black folks - now within the United States ever been converted, in accordance with settled principles of universally established law, into United States citizens, and divested altogether of their original foreign African nationality?

(d) What rights do the Afro Descendants throughout the Americas and Caribbean have to exercise self-determination and conduct plebiscites to discern who wants to repatriate to their ancestral homeland, who wants to establish independent nation states of their own, and who wants to integrate into the states they currently reside?

(e) What are the legal consequences that arise for all States and the United Nations from the above?

The intervention with the U.S. State Department comes on the heals of the State of Illinois House of Representatives 103rd General Assembly Resolution 292 that calls upon the State to become the first to conduct a repatriation census in preparation for honoring President Abraham Lincoln's desire for voluntary repatriation with compensation and to make conducting the repatriation census its immediate priority. The resolution states,

“Additionally of note is the fact that Robin Rue Simmons (former 5th Ward Alderman for the City of Evanston, IL, where she led, in collaboration with others, the passage of the nation’s first municipally-funded reparations legislation for Black residents, which began disbursements in January 2022) , Kamm Howard (former National Co-Chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America), and BBHAGSIA President Siphiwe Baleka have all taken African Ancestry DNA tests and discovered they are each descendants of the Balanta people of Guinea Bissau; the subsequently traveled together to their ancestral homeland to launch the country’s Decade of Retrun Initiative in 2021;”

According to Siphiwe Baleka, “Our aim is to help the entire Lineage Restoration Movement and New Afrikan Independence Movement to exercise their self determination and establish a pathway for members of the African Diaspora to exercise their right to return to their ancestral homelands and receive citizenship which, with the implementation of AU policies by each AU member state, will allow for the freedom of movement and trade thorughout the continent.”

To further advance the Decade of Return and Citizenshship Initiative the BBHAGSIA launched in 2021, Baleka led the effort to establish the Lineage Restoration Council of Guinea Bissau that includes the Djola History and Genealogy Society in America and the Fula History and Genealogy Society in America. The new Council has drafted legislation and has been invited to meet with the newly elected National Peoples Assembly through the transition team of the winning coalition party, Plataforma Aliança Inclusiva (PAI) -- Terra Ranka, to make diaspora citizenship a priority issue of the new government.

“We hope to set an example for the other 800,000 people that have taken the African Ancestry DNA test, on how to constitute themselves into History and Genealogys Societies, form National Lineage Restoration Councils, and then proceed with the work of self determination through legislation,” said Baleka.