| Developing leadership councils in each community, which include responsible residents, including senior citizens, physically disabled and low-income people, as well as spiritual, political and business leaders, will aid in the development of community standards and enforcement. Candidates must be nominated and elected by popular vote of all of the adult members in the jurisdiction covered by the council, by secrete ballot. There should be no campaigning. Candidates will be judged based upon their history of service. Community councils should be elected for fixed terms. They should receive minimal compensation for time committed to community business. Each local community council shall establish codes of conduct for individuals and businesses. These codes can be developed into regional, national and international standards for the progress of Black communities and nations. These bodies must be elected on the local, state or provincial, national, continental and world levels. These bodies may cooperate and coordinate efforts with existing governments, to insure that governmental policies are beneficial to our communities and nations. They could, but need not, be affiliated with existing government offices and agencies. However, self-determination must be maintained and the bodies must be answerable to those who elected them. Disputes between local residents and any other person or company should be resolved through an arbitration process conducted by the councils or persons appointed by them. . They will provide a fair and balanced decision based upon the evidence presented. This process should be given preference over the traditional legal process. The process could be supported by fines and administrative fees charged to the contesting parties. The fees charged and other costs should be far lower than the costs of a traditional legal proceeding. Participants will agree that, after a reasonable appeal or review process, the ruling of the Council is binding. The community shall categorize those who have had disputes, as follows: 1) Preferred – has not violated community standards, is not at fault or has made complete restitution; 2) Probation – at fault but has made partial restitution; 3) Undesirable – at fault but refuses to pay restitution, guilty of a felony or is a habitual offender. The community’s willingness to work with each person should be based upon his or her classification. The Council should also develop a process of reviewing the evidence in criminal charges pending and past convictions in the local, state and federal courts against community residents to determine whether the charges are valid and the evidence substantial. The community will then decide whether to assist in the defense of any person wrongfully charged by the governmental legal systems. One of the Councils’ responsibilities will be to collect evidence and testimony regarding the damage done to the international African civilization in recent centuries. This evidence can then be utilized by our research institutes to quantify and document the economic costs and other damage done to the victims of the exploitation of African people. This documentation may result in an encyclopedia of horrors but the truth is often painful. This evidence will support our just demands for restitution and reparations from all persons, industries, governments and organizations, as well as their heirs and successors, who have been enriched by such exploitation. |
| 1. COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP COUNCILS |