British firms promise to compensate for slavery links

There has been a global outrage against the slave trade in Libya after a CNN report exposed the evil act a few days back. The International Organization for Migration has confirmed that Africans trying to reach Europe were being sold by their captors in "slave markets" in Libya.

After a global outcry of the slave trade in Libya, the Federal Government and the organization for migration, funded by the European Union has begun the evacuation of Nigerian migrants from the North African country to Nigeria.

Veteran musician Charles Oputa, aka Charly Boy, on Monday, led a protest against the reported slave trade going on in Libya, where Nigerians are said to be among the thousands of victims.

Over several centuries countless East Africans were sold as slaves by Muslim Arabs to the Middle East and other places via the Sahara desert and Indian Ocean. Experts say it is time for this to be discussed more openly.

DR Congo and Madagascar mark six decades of independence from former colonial powers. The legacy of the damaging years of European colonialism continues to weigh heavily on the development of the African nations. Also, Benin commemorates those in its history who passed through its cities as they were sold into slavery. And Somalia celebrates its 60th year of independence from Italy by reopening long-closed cultural sites like its national theatre in Mogadishu.

As the world marks the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery, more and more Portuguese with African roots are calling for a critical reappraisal of this dark chapter in history.