The publication of this article by the Cyprus Mail coincided with my reading of Howard Zinn's book "A People's History of the USA" and in particular Chapter 2 which discusses slavery in the Americas:
In the year 1610, a Catholic priest in the Americas named Father Sandoval wrote back to a church functionary in Europe to ask if the capture, transport and enslavement of African blacks was legal by church doctrine. A letter dated March 12, 1610, from Brother Luis Brandaon to Father Snadoval gives the answer: "Your Reverence writes me that you would like to know whether Negroes who are sent to your parts have been legally captured. To this I reply that your Reverence should have no scruples on this point, because this is a matter which has been questioned by the Board of Conscience in Lisbon, and all its members are learned and conscientious men. Nor did the bishops who were in Sao Thome, Cape Verde, and here in Loando- all learned and virtuous men- find fault with it. We have been here ourselves for forty years and there have been among us very learned Fathers... never did they consider the trade illicit. Therefore we and the Fathers of Brazil buy these slaves for our service without any scruple."
So could we argue that Greek Cypriot society has 17th century morals?
I think not. 17th century Europeans had a lot to gain from slave trade and slave labour. It actually made them magnificently rich. The slaves of today's Cypriots though do not make them rich, they actually make them poorer by 331 euros. The slaves of Cypriots are actually status symbols. I think that puts us a notch lower on the scale than 17th century slavers.
