[WCAR] 200th anniversary of slave trade abolition

*** Related link: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade
and its Abolition (23 August):
http://www.hrea.org/feature-events/abolition-slavetrade-day.php


VIENNA, 26 March 2007 -- The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator
for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Eva Biaudet, issued the
following statement today:

"In 1807 the British Parliament passed a bill to abolish the transatlantic
slave trade. Yet two centuries later, the cruel exploitation of men, women
and children remains unfettered. Today's modern slavery - human
trafficking -- has found refuge in the loop-holes of insufficient
legislation, in structural weaknesses of our economic and migration
policies, in corruption, ignorance and indifference.

"Two hundred years ago the abolition of transatlantic slave trade was an
event cheered and celebrated in the British empire. It was a landmark that
had a long term impact on communities and countries of origin and
destination.

"Today, we have to admit that slavery and practices similar to slavery
still exist in many countries. Trafficking in human beings as a form of
enslavement has to be eradicated - otherwise the world's achievements in
bringing human rights to all, will be overshadowed by humiliation,
degradation, organized crime and corruption.

"In order to eradicate this gross human rights violation we must tackle
the root causes of human trafficking - poverty, social exclusion,
intolerance and discrimination. We must address sexual exploitation and
the demand for socially unprotected and cheap labour in the countries of
destination, because there would be no profits and no trafficking without
demand. The fight is definitely not an easy one, but it can and will be
won."

OSCE Press release






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