在《废除奴隶贸易法案》通过200周年纪念日前夕,英国政府23日提议,为这一事件设立固定的纪念日,但仍拒绝就英国当年的奴隶贸易行径正式道歉。3 K3 {, B- v8 s1 g: o7 q" A
, l* F. ?5 c. k+ n) X( A 英国副首相约翰·普雷斯科特当天表示,将设立固定的纪念日,让公众记住英国在奴隶贸易中的所作所为。他透露,纪念日将定在6月。* B/ a, b# x: O0 i# L
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普雷斯科特说:“就像讨论二战时期纳粹分子对犹太人的大屠杀一样,人们开始比较公开、诚实地面对奴隶贸易了。” X) O& l& K# l/ H: k/ D. {; a
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他说:“知道英国在历史上参与过这些事情,让人感到震惊和恐怖,奴隶贸易是如此残酷……我们需要告诉人们历史真相,包括好的、不好的,还有恐怖的。”- g; @, u0 _* ^" b: S& t/ d
7 s+ O/ j j- }1 a7 } 他指出,纪念日将提醒人们不要忘记残酷的奴隶贸易。 7 l! ?" L4 [( r u: {) I, i % L3 w; g; E* p 英国首相布莱尔21日曾表示,他对英国过去参与奴隶贸易感到抱歉,表示英国当时的做法“完全不可接受”。但英国政府迄今为止仍然拒绝就此正式道歉。) F, h7 b* D/ ]/ j' I
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历史学家估计,从1700年到19世纪初期,英国商人经由大西洋,从非洲贩卖了约300万名黑人奴隶。从1450年到1850年,欧洲国家共贩卖了约2100万名黑人奴隶,其中英国商人扮演了主要角色。 8 a9 r! v9 f3 j4 s( [; [! b% z* L4 Z7 Y6 `4 H6 X0 Z
1807年3月25日,英国通过《废除奴隶贸易法案》,规定英国船只上每发现一名奴隶,罚款100英镑(约合190美元)。1833年,英国通过《废除奴隶制法案》,宣布废除奴隶制度。 0 w% t( E5 u5 l+ ~/ R, R& Y7 L+ \+ f! R# w. H5 Q
Commemoration day to mark UK slave trade role 0 W$ H/ L- v# o* d7 `AN annual commemoration day will be held to recall Britain's role in the slave trade, deputy prime minister John Prescott said. ! b8 B& [9 C! C% I% x4 D& {# \) k+ V6 p2 H; \
The news came as the Government today announced freed victims of human trafficking are to be granted the right to stay in Britain temporarily. 6 ? O; s. h1 l h( i- l. y; L! U
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Mr Prescott said that he expected the commemoration day to take place along with the rest of Europe in June to help counter modern-day human trafficking. : {6 k$ |9 t" I8 T9 f3 }
$ }/ v# [, p0 ]& S4 c6 a) J"Like the Holocaust, we are learning to talk about the slave trade openly and more honestly," he reportedly said. ! `% h+ b1 M* {* m
3 ]/ s6 N& G% S1 g) K; H"Tragic and terrible as it was, the slave trade defied anyone to discuss it because it was so horrendous." ' M% W! C) o" U' {# o& d
% N8 q$ _' ~7 Z& G iThe Home Office was today set to announce plans to sign the European Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings. . D6 c5 V* l6 H4 \ 2 _ X% @) Y( g& p$ fThe agreement offers victims - such as women who are sold into the sex trade - the right to at least 30 days' grace after they have escaped people traffickers. - N; I% t) Z8 C! _4 C1 J- ~+ k6 z' ]" q' l* R9 Q" ]8 A4 [
This article: http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=448812007