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        History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind - Edward Gibbon (1737-1794).

        Today the world is almost free of slavery, and we pride ourselves on the freedom of the peoples of the world. Yet, it is only just two centuries ago that the 'Slavery Emancipation Bill' was passed in the Houses of Parliament in England in 1807 and the national conscience of England was awakened to give the world the lead in abolishing slavery. The leader of the agitation which pricked England into action, the man who stamped his personality and his sincerity upon the anti-slave campaign was William Wilberforce (1759-1833). Right from 1787, Wilberforce as a Member of Parliament had started gathering evidence against the slave trade in Africa. He was supported by William Pitt, the younger, who was Prime Minister. A resolution to abolish the slave trade by gradual steps was carried in the House of Commons on 2 April, 1792. In February, 1793, Wilberforce introduced a motion to hasten the process of abolition of slavery through the House of Lords. It was rejected by 61 votes to 53.

        In 1804, Wilberforce made another heroic effort to end the slave trade and the planters who profited greatly from the slave trade fought him tooth and nail. He piloted the Bill through the House of Commons, but again the House of Lords threw it out. Thanks to the public agitation led by Wilberforce, at last the public opinion started swinging in favour of abolition of slave trade. In 1807, Wilberforce's Bill was carried through two readings in the House of Lords. It was referred to the Commons on 10 February, 1807. The debate took place in the House of Commons on 23 February, 1807 and Wilberforce was overcome by great emotion when 283 Members of the House of Commons voted for the motion for the abolition of slavery with 16 Members voting against it. The Bill received the Royal assent on March 25, 1807. Wilberforce became a national hero, deeply respected by men of all shades of opinion.
 

This is the cover page of a book on the subject of Mutual Relation of Masters and Slaves as taught in the Bible. A discourse preached in the first Presbyterian Church, Augusta, Georgia, USA, published by Joseph R Wilson, D D, Pastor, in 1861.

        Now exactly 200 years after the brilliant triumph of Wilberforce in the House of Commons in 1807, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in England are to lead thousands of 'pilgrims' carrying a giant cross through London on 24 March, 2007 to repent for the Church of England's complicity in the slave trade from the 15th century to the 19th century. This planned 'walk of witness' on 24 March will coincide with the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade in 1807. It marks the latest stage in the Church of England's repentance since February last year, when the General Synod voted to apologise for its involvement in slavery. The solemnity of the march will get enhanced with African drummers beating a sombre lament - creating a pensive atmosphere for sombre reflection. The march will culminate in a symbolic 'release from the past', possibly in the form of a replica slave auction notice being torn up or shackles being removed from the cross.

        Edward Gibbon, the great historian, summed up brilliantly when he wrote: 'History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind'. What is heartening to note is that a suitable public atmosphere and public mood for appropriate public remorse and repentance of the shameful past have already been created by the political parties and the leading political leaders in England. Just about two months ago Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed his 'deep sorrow' for Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade, although he stopped short of a full apology. John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, is leading the national commemorations. Organisations including English Heritage and the National Trust have joined in, expressing regret that some of the properties they own were built with slave money.

        According to draft plans, churches across Britain are being encouraged to bus up to 8,000 parishioners to London for the 'act of public witness' on 24 March, 2007. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, who grew up in Uganda will jointly signal from a common platform the 'beginning of a healing process'. John Sentamu has described how his forebears were among those enslaved. Many enlightened public leaders in England today have compared the slave trade to the Holocaust.

        The march scheduled to take place on 24 March, 2007 will take two separate routes through the capital, meeting at Kennington Park in south London for an open-air church service. Williams and Sentamu are expected to march alongside a group of black and white youths bearing the cross. Before leaving Whitehall, the archbishops will take part in an act of reflection. They will then walk past the Houses of Parliament, pause for remembrance prayers at Victoria Tower Gardens, and proceed to Lambeth Bridge. From this point, the marchers will fall silent - except for the African drummers and a small group of singers.

        History is nothing but philosophy teaching by example, and also by warning; its two eyes are geography and chronology. It is not therefore surprising that the route of the procession across the Thames has been specially chosen to represent the Atlantic crossing made by more than 10 million Africans sent to the Americas between the 15th and early 19th centuries. The climax of the service is going to be marked by the symbolic 'release from the past', followed by a 'song of freedom'. Worshippers will be asked to sign a petition calling on the government to take action against modern-day slavery, such as sex trafficking from Eastern Europe.

        Right from its inception in the 15th century, the Atlantic slave trade had the FULL SUPPORT OF THE CHURCH. Most of the theologians subscribed to the view that 'Blacks' were 'NATURAL SLAVES'. Some even argued that an African transported to America changed 'from a barbaric servitude to a human servitude', and therefore he received a great favour even when he was taken to America as a slave for life-long exploitation. One theologian wrote as late as 1764: 'The greatest misfortune we could bring to those poor Africans would be to put a halt to this slave trade'.

        Recently I was moved to tears when I read a speech given by DOROTHY RANDALL GRAY, an African-American speaker and writer at the World Congress for the Preservation of Religious Diversity in New Delhi in November 2001. I came across her speech in the 'Avant Garde' and revolutionary book brought out by the Vivekananda Kendra Patrika under the title 'EXPRESSIONS OF CHRISTIANITY WITH A FOCUS ON INDIA' which was released recently. I am quoting a few extracts from her speech by way of illustration:

        'I come to you this evening as a poet, writer and interfaith minister, but it is my poet's heart that would like to speak first....I come to you this evening as Dorothy Randall Gray, but in fact, I DON'T KNOW MY REAL FAMILY NAME, THE NAME OF MY LINEAGE. That name was stolen from me 400 years ago when my people were stolen out of Africa. They were sold into slavery in America, 'the land of the free and the home of the brave'. My name was taken from me when my ancestors were forbidden to utter its sound or pass it on to their children. ...But when even the name is taken away, what do I call myself?....But the decimation of our lives and families were not enough for the slave owners. They wanted nothing less than the complete destruction of the African religion and culture of our ancestors. Thus, we were forbidden to speak our own language. Africans who came from the same tribes or regions were separated from each other. They were placed among other Africans who spoke entirely different tongues. And so, in order to communicate at all, we were forced to use ENGLISH, THE LANGUAGE OF OUR OPPRESSOR.'

        'Our sacred ceremonies were called 'PAGAN RITUALS' and we were forbidden to practice them. We were not allowed to do our dances or sing the songs of our country. They took away our music and gave us their hymns. We were forbidden to play drums so they gave us bibles and the promise of a wonderful life in the next world. We were forbidden to honour our families. At any time of the day or night the slave master could come into our cabins, take away our mothers, daughters and sisters, and repeatedly force them into sexual acts. Men who fought to defend their families were considered trouble makers. They were beaten, sold away from their families, then shipped to another Southern state, or to Jamaica or Barbados. The ones who perpetrated this travesty are also the ancestors of Americans who self-righteously tout 'family values'....'

        '...If I want to return to my roots, what soil do I bend down and kiss? What customs and traditions can I pass on to my children? What national anthem do I sing and what foods can I claim as my own? Who am I without a Flag, without a Motherland or a Mother Tongue? My culture, my religion, my ancestors, traditions, customs, stolen, suppressed, violated, vilified, denied, destroyed - that is what I call 'Terrorism'.'

        The impartiality of history is not that of the mirror, which merely reflects objects but of the judge who sees, listens and decides.