|
Newsday: U.N. Commemorates Anti-Slavery Movement,
With an African dance troupe recreating scenes from inside an ancient slave port, the United Nations launched a yearlong commemoration of the anti-slavery movement Saturday and noted many of the worldâs people still lack basic freedoms. The UNâs vital role - organizing the dance troupe to pantomime the brave acts of others. Saturdayâs ceremony should spark "rededication to the ongoing struggle against all forms of racism, discrimination, xenophobia, intolerance and injustice," said Koichiro Matsuura, director general of the U.N.âs Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO. Hey Kiochiro, how about rededicating yourself to erradicating SLAVERY? During 2004, the United Nations will organize exhibitions, concerts and studies meant to deepen knowledge about slavery. Maybe the Sudanese can provide a vendorâs stall with some how-to classes for those interested in the trade. The International Year for the Commemoration of the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition coincides with the 200-year anniversary of Haiti, the first independent black state in the Western Hemisphere. The country was founded by slaves who rebelled against the French. Why is this celebration not being held in Haiti? While slavery has been officially banned under international conventions for decades, its latter-day offshoots — including human trafficking, child labor, forced marriage and bonded labor — remain rife, the United Nations says. In other words, slavery was banned on paper and we declared victory. Slavery continued in practice so were renamed it so as not to spoil this hopping commemoration we have planned in Ghana. Posted by: Super Hose 2004-01-11 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=24145 |