Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

malaise

(296,276 posts) Wed Mar 25, 2026, 03:53 PM Mar 25

UN votes to recognise slavery as 'gravest crime against humanity'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg06q36052o

The United Nations General Assembly has voted to recognise the slave trade as "the gravest crime against humanity", a move advocates hope will pave the way for healing and justice.
The resolution - proposed by Ghana - called for this designation, while also urging UN member states to consider apologising for the slave trade and contributing to a reparations fund. It does not mention a specific amount of money.
The proposal was adopted with 123 votes in favour and three against - the United States, Israel and Argentina.
Fifty-two countries abstained, including the United Kingdom and European Union member states.

————-
No words needed

11 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

UN votes to recognise slavery as 'gravest crime against humanity' (Original Post) malaise Mar 25 OP

How did I know Kraznov's regieme would be against decency? SheltieLover Mar 25 #1

K&R Dave Bowman Mar 25 #2

K&R 2naSalit Mar 25 #3

A lot of abstentions from other slave states -- is it the 'gravest crime'? Heinous, yes -- gravest, not sure (semantics JT45242 Mar 25 #4

Agreed and, Disaffected Mar 25 #5

Their empires were built from slavery malaise Mar 25 #6

It's a tie with a few others Auggie Mar 25 #8

DURec leftstreet Mar 25 #7

About damn time. Joinfortmill Mar 25 #9

I would have said aggressive war Buzz cook Mar 25 #10

We're #1 spanone Mar 25 #11

SheltieLover

(80,649 posts)

1. How did I know Kraznov's regieme would be against decency?

Reply to malaise (Original post)

Wed Mar 25, 2026, 03:55 PM

Mar 25

Dave Bowman

(7,175 posts)

2. K&R

Reply to malaise (Original post)

Wed Mar 25, 2026, 04:03 PM

Mar 25

2naSalit

(102,904 posts)

3. K&R

Reply to malaise (Original post)

Wed Mar 25, 2026, 04:09 PM

Mar 25

JT45242

(4,049 posts)

4. A lot of abstentions from other slave states -- is it the 'gravest crime'? Heinous, yes -- gravest, not sure (semantics

Reply to malaise (Original post)

Wed Mar 25, 2026, 04:12 PM

Mar 25

Given the wars of conquest that have occurred in history with oppression and high taxes dating back to several thousands of years BCE, I am honestly not sure that slavery is the gravest crime.

Genocides, literally millennia of fighting over the same pieces of land, etc, etc. Slavery is one of the greatest crimes for certain but there is almost no limit to the depravity that humans inflict on each other.

But interesting to note that a nation state created because of guilt over genocide that has specific moral and legal laws that condemn slavery because of enduring slavery in Egypt voted against it as well.

Even if I was unsure of the semantics of the greatest crime, I would vote for the resolution.

Disaffected

(6,423 posts)

5. Agreed and,

Reply to JT45242 (Reply #4)

Wed Mar 25, 2026, 04:54 PM

Mar 25

I wonder about what occurred before recorded history. Not too hard to imagine various hominids duking it out amongst not just themselves but with tribes of humanoid variants. Evolution is a hard taskmaster......