10 พฤษภาคม เป็นวันรำลึกถึงการยกเลิกระบบทาสในฝรั่งเศส "ประเทศจะยิ่งใหญ่ได้จักต้องยอมรับประวัติศาสตร์ ทั้งมวลของตนรวมทั้งต้องศึกษา 'ยุคมืด' ด้วย"

10 พฤกษภาคม เป็นวันยกเลิกระบบทาสของฝรั่งเศสมีการจัดรำลึกกันที่สวนสาธารณะ Luxembourg มีว่าทีประธานาธิบดีMACRON สมาขิกวุฒิสภา สภาแห่งชาติ นักการเมือง ฯลฯ มาร่วมกันคับคั่ง ประธานาธิบดี Hollande กล่าวรำลึกตอนหนึ่งว่า การเอาคนเป็นทาส เป็นอาชญากรรมต่อต้านมนุษยชาติ เป็นการดูหมิ่นมนุษยชาติ lèse humanité


Jaran Ditapichai


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ON MAY 10TH FRANCE CELEBRATES THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY


May 6, 2009
Source: Repeating Island.com


In 2001, France chose May 10 to commemorate the abolition of slavery each year. According to journalist Mélina Gazsi, France is now the first Western country to commemorate its abolition officially and explicitly and the only country to have adopted a law recognizing slavery as a crime against humanity: “Indeed, the sole exceptions are Black History Month in February, when the United States remembers America’s black heritage, and 23 August, proclaimed in 1998 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, in commemoration of the uprising by the slaves of Santo Domingo, now Haiti, on the night of 22 August 1791.”

Last year (2008) , France celebrated the 160th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. During the commemorative event in Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced that all primary school students would have the opportunity to learn about this dark period of France’s history. But, as Gazsi writes, “while ‘a country’s greatness means accepting all of its history, not just its days of glory but its dark side too,’ it also means establishing the tools to build a clearer present and a better future. From this perspective, it is anticipated that the subject of slavery will be given its rightful place in future school curricula, that a national research centre for researchers and the general public will be set up and that a European and international initiative might penalise companies practising new forms of slavery, such as the use of forced or child labour.” [More on abolition of slavery in subsequent posts.]

The photo included here shows the inauguration of the first French national monument to the abolition of slavery, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Communication. Created by artist Fabrice Hyber, it is located in the Luxembourg Garden in Paris.

For Mélina Gazsi’s article (in English), see http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france_159/label-france_2554/label-france-issues_2555/label-france-no.-63_3661/society_3664/10-may-day-not-to-forget_4901.html

For more information on commemoration events (in French) and photo, see http://www.comite-memoire-esclavage.fr/spip.php?rubrique61