France remembers slavery victims

[bennywhale]

France is holding Europe's first national day of remembrance for the victims of slavery.

Wednesday's day of commemoration has been ordered by President Jacques Chirac, who says the stain of slavery on history must not be forgotten.

On 10 May five years ago, the French Senate passed a law recognising slavery as a crime against humanity. Hundreds of thousands of slaves were taken by French ships from Africa to plantations in the Caribbean before France banned the practice in 1848.

But the president says he is not just looking to the past. He has promised to fight modern forms of slavery, allowing companies that knowingly use forced labour anywhere in the world to be prosecuted in French courts.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4756635.stm

[Demeter]

1. The US Should Do Something, Too

Slavery has been far too long the dirty little secret in this nation's past. Acknowledging the crime is the first step towards restitution and redemption.

[Mr.Green93]

2. Pass HR 40,

The Conyers bill.

[toopers]

3. I don't think it is a secret.

NT

[Demeter]

5. Amnesia? Denial? Call it What You Will n/t

[dipsydoodle]

4. A useful start might be

to compile a list of companies known to have their products made abroad in countries where child labour is used and other products from those countries as well. As a result of mention on a thread a few days back that the Columbian's use child labour to spray insecticides I've already switched to the coffee from another country.

Everything has to start somewhere. I'd said goodbye to Nikes years ago.

[Orrin_73]

6. France should also apologize for the dead of

2.5 million algerians.