A slavery historian is calling for the United Nations to be more aggressive in helping free millions of modern day slaves.

Franklin Knight said the problem was so widespread in today's society it could only be tackled by a body which represents all corners of the globe.

Dr. Knight, a Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, was in Bermuda to give a lecture on the abolition of the British slave trade. One of the main features of his talk was that it would be wrong to view the end of slavery as something which happened solely with the passing of anti-slavery legislation in the early 19th Century.

He said it saddened him that different forms of human captivity, such as women being trafficked as prostitutes, took place today.

"The UN has not been as aggressive in ending slavery as they should be," Dr. Knight told The Royal Gazette.

"It's within the power of the UN to make it one of the responsibilities of international courts of justice to stop slavery. If you are going to attack an international problem, you need an international organisation. Only global solutions can be successful to this global problem. How else do you stop human trafficking when there are so many countries involved, when people are bought in one country and taken to another?

"It's more than just sending out Policemen. You have to have leaders of countries ultimately responsible for what is carried out in their countries."

He said leaders who fail to act against slavery in their own country should face punishment.

Dr. Knight is the author of 'Slave Society in Cuba during the 19th Century' and 'The Caribbean: The Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism'. He was invited to speak at Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute for the second annual Dr. Kenneth Robinson/Cyril Packwood Memorial Lecture.

His call for the UN to do more to help tackle modern day slavery comes after this newspaper relaunched its Break The Chains campaign to fight against more than 12 million slaves across the world.

We are urging readers to sign Anti-Slavery International's on-line Fight For Freedom declaration demanding governments across the world take action to end all forms of modern day slavery, including human trafficking, child labour, bonded labour and forced marriage.

The campaign in Bermuda has been given extra impetus after Charlotte Wilberforce, a descendant of slave emancipator William Wilberforce, began organising a Run For Freedom on the Island to raise awareness and cash in the fight against modern day slavery. It will take place in March to mark the anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act.

To sign the petition, go to www.antislavery.org/2007/actionsign and fill in your details. To comment on Break The Chains or Run For Freedom, call 278-8359 or email tsmith@royalgazette.bm

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