' r Q. N7 k1 E8 K1 c! q! N: 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。7 E( k% M# {' n, R3 V- \' H
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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。” 1 x8 K" q9 Q0 V2 N' h7 ] 2 S5 a! ? [$ A" l 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。”/ o/ m# b3 j4 q( _
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他指出，纪念日将提醒人们不要忘记残酷的奴隶贸易。. w5 i9 M; k3 [/ ~
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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。 " ^9 P1 ^( g0 j ( j, g$ [+ I9 s' x8 ~5 C 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。# h Z( F$ O2 U1 g2 L1 Z" U
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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。5 M/ l0 D- l3 O9 E8 v
3 M/ b! x* w$ A/ y. i# N* KCommemoration day to mark UK slave trade role 5 K. [- U1 K2 nAN annual commemoration day will be held to recall Britain's role in the slave trade, deputy prime minister John Prescott said. , l) y- g1 r% a
8 [; j* n, r7 r4 z: W: O6 p3 b+ n5 IThe news came as the Government today announced freed victims of human trafficking are to be granted the right to stay in Britain temporarily. 0 v: k [" {4 V6 y7 v- M - I' Q4 P7 F5 X+ S; W. s( iMr 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. # I) _3 Q1 @$ T# J, c
/ D/ W! c/ Z+ I2 ^" N2 C"Like the Holocaust, we are learning to talk about the slave trade openly and more honestly," he reportedly said. " E. X& h+ [9 h0 ]% p2 E' f
! ~9 D: c2 X- }$ K) p' \"Tragic and terrible as it was, the slave trade defied anyone to discuss it because it was so horrendous." 2 _0 S6 c8 l3 g
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The Home Office was today set to announce plans to sign the European Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings. ( R! `' i0 g. R8 ]6 n0 e
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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.+ {# W; @9 R! z) i8 |# l
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This article: http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=448812007
