It's Time To Abolish Slavery - Again - Says Connarty.

Michael Connarty heads an important event in Parliament aimed at abolishing all modern day slavery.

“TIME TO ABOLISH SLAVERY AGAIN”

CONNARTY TELLS BACK TO THE FUTURE EVENT IN PARLIAMENT

Today in Parliament, human trafficking campaigner, Michael Connarty MP, headed up a special event, addressed by Shadow International Development Secretary, Harriet Harman, and Anti-Slavery International Director, Aidan McQuade, highlighting on the need to abolish slavery all over again. Michael told the meeting of MPs, Peers and Campaign Groups, “Today we are celebrating the achievements of the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade, founded in 1787, but in doing so we must continue to fight modern slavery.

“In school, children learn that in 1807 the Slave Trade Act outlawed the trade in human beings throughout the British Empire, but many people remain unaware that slavery still exists today.

“The UN estimates that over 12 million people are enslaved and approximately 600,000 men, women and children are trafficked across international borders each year. Incredibly, there are more slaves today than at the height of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.”

Michael said, “Today’s campaign against trafficking and slavery should be inspired by the past efforts of the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade. It first met in 1787 and its minutes show “it was resolved that the said trade was both impolitick and unjust”. Producing books, pamphlets, souvenirs and prints, the Society organised public petitions which poured into parliament – 519 petitions in 1792 alone. To this day it remains the largest number ever submitted to the House on a single subject.

“It was the first time that a large number of people in one country became outraged – and stayed outraged for many years – over the plight of other people, of another colour, in other parts of the world.

“Today the nature of slavery has evolved. Instead of being kidnapped in Africa, extreme poverty means that some invest their life savings with rogues who say they will offer them transportation and shelter to move to a different country to work for a decent wage. Then once they arrive, their travel documents are removed, they are unable to speak the local language and they find they cannot leave. Violence or the threat of it ensures they continue to work.

Michael Connarty concluded, “Slavery is one crime that has yet to be resigned to the history books. The fact that millions of people in the 21^st century remain enslaved is staggering. Britain has a strong reputation when it comes to international development. In order to hammer the final nail into slavery’s coffin, it’s important that Britain continues to lead by addressing the root causes of slavery and prosecuting those that enslave or traffick vulnerable individuals.”

Organisations present: Anti-Slavery International; Amnesty International; STOP THE TRAFFICK UK; The Salvation Army