THE African Cultural Development Association (ACDA) on Wednesday observed the MAAFA, African Holocaust Day, also referred to as the Holocaust of Enslavement,  with the traditional libation ceremony at the Seawall, Kingston, Georgetown, where a large gathering of  people of African descent converged to remember and pay homage to African brothers and sisters who perished during the Atlantic Slave Trade. ACDA started this commemoration event on October 12, 1999, in recognition of the pain, anguishe, fear, blood and tears of our ancestors, paying tribute to all who sacrificed their lives during this “greatest crime against humanity.
The African Holocaust Day, is the single most important day on the global African calendar because it helps Africans and the World to truly reflect on “the greatest crime against humanity ever committed “and the boldest conspiracy of silence” that accompanies this affront to God’s Spirit.
“African Holocaust Day” or the “MAAFA” or the “Holocaust of Enslavement “ of African People is commemorated on 12 October, because it was on this day in 1492 that Christopher Columbus arrived in the our region, signalling the unbridled decimation of indigenous peoples and their existing holistic cultures throughout the  Americas.
In his message on the occasion of  MAAFA 2011, ACDA’s Mr. Eric Phillips, outlined that  MAAFA is the Swahili term for “Disaster” or “Terrible Occurrence” or “Great Tragedy”.   He noted too, that
MAAFA is also the word that best describes the more than 500 hundred years of suffering of people of African descent through slavery, imperialism, colonialism, invasions, exploitation and racism.
Reflecting on the ills of slavery, he alluded to it as a 400 year criminal enterprise that occurred between 1441 and 1888, when “Millions of our African ancestors: mothers, fathers, children, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, were sent to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.”
For this reason, it is symbolic that the libation observances are conducted each year at the seawall and African brothers and sisters venture into the water to pay homage.

In a statement, ACDA said:
On African Holocaust Day, we at the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) would like the World to acknowledge that Africa is the birthplace of man and that during this heinous crime of slavery, which was driven by greed  , it should be remembered that:
•         3 % of our ancestors died during  attacks of villages to gain slaves
•         20% died on the murderous trek to the coast  from interior villages
•         10% died while waiting in prisons and dungeons for  ships to arrive
•         12 % died during the Trans-Atlantic journey
•         33%  of those that arrived in Guyana died during the first 3 years

This year, ACDA has commemorated the United Nations International Year for People of African Descent (IYPAD) with 49 events so far. African Holocaust Day is their 50th  event.
ACDA called upon all present at the Commemoration event, as well as those who were not present physically, to remember  the words of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon when he launched the Internal Year for People of African Descent.   On that occasion, the UN Secretary General pointed out:
“The international community has affirmed that the transatlantic slave trade was an appalling tragedy, not only because of its barbarism , but also because of its magnitude, organized nature, and negation of the essential humanity of the victims. Even today, Africans and people of African descent continue to suffer the consequences of these acts.”