- C: _8 M( d; y 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。” : G, A4 i) Q) g" p8 }4 c 4 Q) \/ w; j! I$ Z 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。” ) C( L$ H( M2 K, J' q! S$ x: ~2 Y4 _8 b& `
他指出，纪念日将提醒人们不要忘记残酷的奴隶贸易。 - y: [% I* p9 h1 V # f# ~* e# s1 }: O3 g$ a8 R 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。, q, N, A: `& i# ?% p' W
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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 H( s) S' E6 G/ I5 \# j2 y ! y2 ?, d/ G* u 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。 6 ^" n( ^ }2 r9 @& v4 V0 Q) M8 }* P+ K
Commemoration day to mark UK slave trade role: ^' d; u0 s/ O
AN annual commemoration day will be held to recall Britain's role in the slave trade, deputy prime minister John Prescott said. # _6 m- n, c- I6 i1 F6 V ; b; m6 i: {' l1 R( PThe news came as the Government today announced freed victims of human trafficking are to be granted the right to stay in Britain temporarily. ' ~3 R: ]- @7 M9 S3 g
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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. # n7 C; z* n! @/ m$ b. P* F# B7 M% r& q
"Like the Holocaust, we are learning to talk about the slave trade openly and more honestly," he reportedly said. & v! a# h. A# C/ _( x1 w" W- l& a/ Y1 B- B- D% G. P
"Tragic and terrible as it was, the slave trade defied anyone to discuss it because it was so horrendous." : {. B y0 g4 |( q. _( e8 z: _, s" E; y8 b3 J+ {
The Home Office was today set to announce plans to sign the European Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings. 8 }$ }3 G; d8 b# `) E" r! X9 t. _5 ?7 `4 Z
The 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./ L; u8 L( Z; h9 x6 D! j; g
