Meeting for Sufferings: Modern day slavery
The minute also noted that, although welcome, the 2015 Modern Slavery Act’s ‘largely voluntary approach does not appear sufficient to drive the scale of needed change in corporate behaviour’.
Sunday morning started with Friends considering a minute from Surrey & Hampshire Border Area Meeting (AM) on modern day slavery.
A Friend from the AM spoke on behalf of the Meeting, saying that when it had considered Britain Yearly Meeting’s decision to make reparations for the transatlantic slave trade, it felt ‘it was far more practical to look at the situation today, to the many people in slavery, including in Britain. The emphasis was that we needed to take action immediately, and not wait to see what reparations [we can make] in the longer term… our time would be better used looking at present problems and toward the future’.
The minute also noted that, although welcome, the 2015 Modern Slavery Act’s ‘largely voluntary approach does not appear sufficient to drive the scale of needed change in corporate behaviour’.
With a template letter drafted for Meetings to send to the MPs, the minute asked MfS to send a similar letter to the government on behalf of BYM, encouraging other AMs to do the same. It also asked Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) whether it would consider ‘not only reparations but also modern day slavery’.
Ministry followed with one Quaker describing modern day slavery as ‘a major blot in our society’ and urged Meetings to write to MPs.
‘It’s not an either/or issue,’ said another Friend. ‘Slavery is a consequence of slavery in the past, so we must still make reparations’. He noted that the next Quaker World Plenary will look at resulting injustices.
MfS accepted the request, with another Friend asking that it should urge AMs and individuals to also send letters, as MPs pay more attention to individuals.
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