迦納稱，西方國家對奴隸制度賠償的支持增加

作者：多因索拉・奧拉迪波By Doyinsola Oladipo

聯合國，9月23日（路透社）——迦納主導一項運動，為近4個世紀的跨大西洋奴隸貿易尋求賠償。迦納週三表示，西方國家對這項努力的支持正在增加。UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Ghana, which has led a campaign for reparations for the nearly four-century-long trans-Atlantic slave trade, said on Wednesday that support is growing among Western countries for the effort.

迦納外交部長塞繆爾・奧庫澤托・阿布拉夸週三在聯合國大會場邊一場由迦納、德國和法國共同主辦的賠償正義活動上表示，這項運動的首要重點是歸還遭掠奪的文物。The campaign's first focus is on restitution of looted artifacts, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told an event on reparatory justice co-hosted by Ghana, Germany and France on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.

後續階段可能包括正式道歉、債務減免，以及依據非洲聯盟與加勒比共同體賠償正義委員會6月在迦納一場會議上通過的19點計畫提供金錢賠償。Later stages could include formal apologies, debt relief and financial compensation under a 19-point plan adopted by the African Union and the Caribbean Community Commission on Reparatory Justice at a conference in Ghana in June.

聯合國3月通過一項決議，承認跨大西洋奴隸制度是「最嚴重的危害人類罪」；該決議獲得123票贊成，3票反對，反對票來自美國、以色列和阿根廷。另有52國棄權，包括歐盟成員國和英國。The UN passed a resolution in March recognizing trans-Atlantic slavery as "the gravest crime against humanity" with 123 votes in favor and three — from the US, Israel and Argentina — against. Fifty-two other countries, including European Union members and the UK, abstained.

他說，自那以來，許多歐洲國家已表達支持。阿布拉夸說：「幾乎所有在投票時棄權的歐洲國家都已主動聯繫，並表示將在這段進程中與我們合作。」Since then, many European countries have expressed their support, he said. "Virtually all the European countries that abstained during the vote have reached out and have said they are going to work with us on this journey," Ablakwa said.

阿布拉夸表示，英國和葡萄牙已表達支持，美國也表示願意與迦納主導的這項努力合作。The UK and Portugal have offered support, and the US has also said it is willing to work with the Ghana-led effort, Ablakwa said.

他補充說，法國、德國和荷蘭已承諾願意歸還文物。France, Germany and the Netherlands have pledged their willingness to return artifacts, he added.

這名部長說：「歸還文物對這段進程非常重要……這些文物應該回到祖國。」"Restitution is very important to this journey…These artifacts ought to be returned to the motherland," the minister said.

根據跨大西洋奴隸貿易資料庫（Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database），16世紀至19世紀期間，約1,250萬名非洲人遭奴役並被運送橫渡大西洋。他們被帶到南美洲、加勒比海地區和北美洲，在種植園和礦場勞動。這創造了龐大財富，推動西方強權發展，同時造成持久的經濟與社會傷害。About 12.5 million Africans were enslaved and transported across the Atlantic between the 16th and 19th centuries, according to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database. They were taken to South America, the Caribbean and North America to labor on plantations and in mines. This generated vast wealth that fueled development of Western powers while causing enduring economic and social harm.

根據該資料庫，葡萄牙和英國負責運送超過70%的受奴役非洲人橫渡大西洋。Portugal and Britain were responsible for transporting more than 70% of all enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, according to the database.

（紐約多因索拉・奧拉迪波報導；辛西婭・奧斯特曼編輯）(Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)