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| UK slave trade apology 'needed' | UK slave trade apology 'needed' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Archbishop of York has called on Britain to make a formal apology for the slave trade. | The Archbishop of York has called on Britain to make a formal apology for the slave trade. |
| It comes as events round the world mark Sunday's 200th anniversary of laws abolishing the British slave trade. | It comes as events round the world mark Sunday's 200th anniversary of laws abolishing the British slave trade. |
| Earlier this month, Tony Blair, who had previously expressed "deep sorrow" for the slave trade, said: "We are sorry." | Earlier this month, Tony Blair, who had previously expressed "deep sorrow" for the slave trade, said: "We are sorry." |
| But Dr John Sentamu told the BBC he should go further in expressing regret for the slave trade. Mr Blair is to address a ceremony in Ghana on Sunday. | But Dr John Sentamu told the BBC he should go further in expressing regret for the slave trade. Mr Blair is to address a ceremony in Ghana on Sunday. |
| A video message from the prime minister will be played at the event at Elmina Castle, where slaves were held before being shipped to the Americas. | A video message from the prime minister will be played at the event at Elmina Castle, where slaves were held before being shipped to the Americas. |
| Baroness Amos is to address the event at the former slave fort | Baroness Amos is to address the event at the former slave fort |
| House of Lords leader Baroness Amos is to tell the commemorative event in Ghana that the slave trade was one of the UK's most "shameful and uncomfortable chapters". | House of Lords leader Baroness Amos is to tell the commemorative event in Ghana that the slave trade was one of the UK's most "shameful and uncomfortable chapters". |
| Britain's first black female cabinet minister will also pay tribute to those who worked for the 1807 abolition laws. | Britain's first black female cabinet minister will also pay tribute to those who worked for the 1807 abolition laws. |
| Baroness Amos, who is descended from slaves herself, is expected to tell the event: "Millions died, but they fought enslavement and rebelled at every stage." | Baroness Amos, who is descended from slaves herself, is expected to tell the event: "Millions died, but they fought enslavement and rebelled at every stage." |
| She will say the "campaigning tradition" that led to the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act lives on in the likes of Live Aid, Live 8 and Make Poverty History. | She will say the "campaigning tradition" that led to the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act lives on in the likes of Live Aid, Live 8 and Make Poverty History. |
| 'Put record straight' | 'Put record straight' |
| Dr Sentamu, the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, told BBC One's Sunday AM programme that Britain was a country which had once bought and sold slaves "as it did crops like onions or maize", and now had to make a formal apology. | Dr Sentamu, the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, told BBC One's Sunday AM programme that Britain was a country which had once bought and sold slaves "as it did crops like onions or maize", and now had to make a formal apology. |
| "A nation of this quality should have the sense of saying we are very sorry and we have to put the record straight," he said. | "A nation of this quality should have the sense of saying we are very sorry and we have to put the record straight," he said. |
| He urged the prime minister to go further than he did a year ago, when Mr Blair spoke simply of Britain's deep sorrow about slavery. | He urged the prime minister to go further than he did a year ago, when Mr Blair spoke simply of Britain's deep sorrow about slavery. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY The west should NOT apologise for something that was perfectly acceptable at the time Martin Brown, UK class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5793&edition=1">Send us your comments class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/6474225.stm">Read our slavery Q&A However, speaking in London earlier this month after a meeting with Ghana's president, Mr Blair said Britain was "sorry" for its role in the slave trade. | |
| Dr Sentamu, who helped lead the Church's own mark of repentance on a walk through London on Saturday, rejected the idea of paying reparations, but said a full apology would be an act of strength. | Dr Sentamu, who helped lead the Church's own mark of repentance on a walk through London on Saturday, rejected the idea of paying reparations, but said a full apology would be an act of strength. |
| He added: "This community was involved in a very terrible trade, Africans were involved in a very terrible trade, the Church was involved in a very terrible trade... it's important that we all own up to what was collectively done." | He added: "This community was involved in a very terrible trade, Africans were involved in a very terrible trade, the Church was involved in a very terrible trade... it's important that we all own up to what was collectively done." |
| Mandela message | Mandela message |
| Events are taking place around the former British Empire - which was the world leader in transporting Africans across the Atlantic to the New World. | Events are taking place around the former British Empire - which was the world leader in transporting Africans across the Atlantic to the New World. |
| In the UK, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will join the prime minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, to reopen the Wilberforce House museum in Hull. | In the UK, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will join the prime minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, to reopen the Wilberforce House museum in Hull. |
| Millions died, but they fought enslavement and rebelled at every stage Baroness Amos | Millions died, but they fought enslavement and rebelled at every stage Baroness Amos |
| William Wilberforce was the parliamentary spokesman for the abolition movement. | William Wilberforce was the parliamentary spokesman for the abolition movement. |
| And, at London's British Museum, an exhibition entitled Resistance and Remembrance Day - which includes a recorded video message from Nelson Mandela - is being held. | And, at London's British Museum, an exhibition entitled Resistance and Remembrance Day - which includes a recorded video message from Nelson Mandela - is being held. |
| Child prostitution | Child prostitution |
| Meanwhile, Save the Children UK has published a major report about modern day child slavery. | Meanwhile, Save the Children UK has published a major report about modern day child slavery. |
| It says that more than 218 million children aged between five and 17 are working as child labourers across the world. | It says that more than 218 million children aged between five and 17 are working as child labourers across the world. |
| Spokeswoman Corinna Csaky told the BBC: "We've got children as young as five involved in child soldiering in different countries. | Spokeswoman Corinna Csaky told the BBC: "We've got children as young as five involved in child soldiering in different countries. |
| "We've got children involved in prostitution and a range of different work that is harming them and in some cases killing them." | "We've got children involved in prostitution and a range of different work that is harming them and in some cases killing them." |