For the first time in recent memory, Denmark has formally responded to a request from Virgin Islands advocates seeking accountability tied to Denmark’s former administration of the islands — and the response rejects any legal responsibility.
In a letter dated Dec. 10, Danish officials said they do not accept legal liability connected to their rule over what was then the Danish West Indies, now the U.S. Virgin Islands. The response followed months of outreach by the African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance (ACRRA), including a formal notice sent on Oct, 21, 2025, in which the organization said Denmark’s continued silence was being treated as a refusal to engage and was being documented accordingly, according to a news release this week.
In its letter, Denmark said the issues raised should be understood as historical rather than legal, and denied that it violated the treaty under which the territory was transferred to the United States.
ACRRA replied that it is willing to meet with Danish officials during a proposed visit to the Virgin Islands, but only under strict conditions. The organization said such a meeting would not waive any potential claims, would not mean the issues have been resolved, and could not later be cited as evidence that Denmark had addressed the concerns. ACRRA said any discussion would need to directly address unresolved questions, including why Denmark never responded to a 1917 petition from Virgin Islanders asking for a voice in their political future.
Those questions have been raised repeatedly over generations. As previously reported by The Virgin Islands Source, residents were not consulted before the islands were transferred in 1917, and no formal process was created to address political rights, redress, or long-term responsibility. Advocates have also pointed out that Denmark has taken different approaches with other former territories, while similar concerns raised by Virgin Islanders remain unresolved.
ACRRA said Denmark’s response is significant not because it offers resolution, but because it formally places Denmark’s position on the record. The organization said it will preserve the correspondence as part of the historical record and continue assessing regional and international options, while keeping the Virgin Islands public informed.
