'US must pay slave reparations'

2004-03-01 17:38

Chicago - In a speech peppered with criticisms of President George W Bush, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan on Sunday pressed for America and Brtiain to grant slave reparations.

Farrakhan, speaking at the final session of the Nation of Islam's annual meeting, also voiced support for Michael Jackson and warned blacks against supporting the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, senator John Kerry.

"Black people are so angry with President Bush that they're willing to give Senator Kerry a free ride," he said.

"Getting rid of Bush and getting John Kerry... will mean you'll get more of the same."

Farrakhan said blacks should consider supporting candidate Al Sharpton to give him more power to promote black issues.

While calling Sharpton "brilliant", Farrakhan told the crowd: "You know, I know and he knows that he ain't going to be no president."

Farrakhan accused Bush of wanting to go to war with Iraq from his first day in office, and of knowing Saddam Hussein didn't have weapons of mass destruction.

Need to recognise roles in slave trade

Former chief weapons inspector David Kay has concluded Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction. Bush has defended his decision to go to war, saying Saddam was a threat.

Speaking for about three hours, Farrakhan, 70, said America and Britain needed to recognise their roles in the slave trade.

He urged congress to consider a bill sponsored by Representative member John Conyers that would establish a commission to study slavery.

Farrakhan said whites failed to realise they held privileged positions in America because of slavery.

"If America is not willing to look at... what happened to us as a people, there will never be a chance for good relations between blacks and whites," he said.

Farrakhan said he believed Michael Jackson was innocent of charges that he committed lewd acts on a child.

Nation of Islam chief of staff Leonard F Muhammad has been working with Jackson, and other members of the group are providing security for the pop star.

- AP