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Libralind2
Veteran Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 67
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 10:45 am: | 
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From the BBC
Are you living in slavery?
The shipping of millions of Africans to work as slaves on sugar and cotton plantations in the United States and the Caribbean ended in the early 1800s.
But far from being confined to history, other forms of slavery still continue.
Millions of men, women and children around the world - including many Africans - are forced into servitude.
Human trafficking and slavery is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world. So serious is the problem that the United Nations has made 2004 an anti-slavery year.
In west Africa, children are trafficked between countries, often sold by their own parents, to be used as servants in the houses of richer people and on agricultural plantations.
In some countries like Mauritania and Niger, people are born into a class where they are viewed and treated as only being suitable for slave labour.
BBC's Africa Live is asking: Why does slavery still exist today? Have you been a slave or do you know someone in such a situation?
Tell us what you think by using the form on the right and join the debate on Wednesday 10 November at 1630GMT and 1830GMT on the BBC World Service.
Your comments:
I had the unfortunate experience of going to the Philippines and Thailand when I was in the armed forces. There, my male friends were offered 14-15 year old girls and boys and quoted different prices for the ones that were virgins. I did see many men rent the young boys and girls. The western world has their hands deep in the problem, our ethnocentrism has allowed us to convince ourselves that servitude and abuse is acceptable to practice upon other cultures. Slavery exists because there is a demand for it. And unfortunately, it is our demand... While we preach that human dignity is the birth right of every citizen of this planet, we take vacation trips to the Philippines and rent a newly kidnapped 14-year-old boy or girl.
Astrid Morreale, USA
African parents love their children as everyone else does. So why are they selling their kids? The answer is very simple. In Africa and some other Asian countries, the parents make as many kids as they can to secure their retirements when they get old.
Abdirashid Sheikh Mohamud, Minneapolis, MN , USA
There are millions of people who have no food, water or shelter. And if somebody offers them money to be his/her slave, they would accept it without doubt because these people are fighting for their lives and they will do anything to stay alive.
Tewodros Kebede, Ethiopia
Slavery cannot be abolished in my country as long as the so-called big men who have reduced our country to what it is today still remain in power. Of course they will need the poor ones to still be enslaved to them. Only God will save the poor ones in my country.
Godson Chinwe Kingsley, Nigeria
Lots of young women from my country Ethiopia go to Arab countries both mostly illegally to work for the rich Arab families. They do this to improve their own life and their family's back home. The sad thing it's a few of them who are "successful". Most of them suffer from mental abuse and physical mistreatment: they are raped, bitten by the house wives because of jealousy, don't get paid properly and sometimes don't even get it at all. Thanks to capitalism, there always will be slavery!
Elias, Ethiopia/US
With wars in most parts of the world now, slavery has gained momentum in the sense that some wars encourage and provide shields for slave dealers. Take Sudan for example, children as young as eight are captured from the South and taken to work in the North as slaves. As long as people's powers are taken from them by some few individuals, powerless people will always be the victim of this satanic act.
Monyoro Alex, Sudanese in Australia
Slavery is something misunderstood by many people in Africa. For instance, in Sudan, where I come from, parents permit their children go with Arab tribes and then they return to their regions during summer time. Both parents and children think that it is a privilege for their children to make money from Arab tribes. Today slavery has been connected with business that is why it has become so difficult for anti-slavery campaigners.
Peter Tuach, USA
Slavery has never been confined to the dustbin of history. All across Sahelian Africa, slavery in its ancient form is being practiced. The masters are the Arabs and their kith and kin and the slaves obviously the black Africans.
Yahaya Jalingo , Liberia
Slavery in Africa relies on poverty and power, because those who have power can do what they like it. African governments should abolish barbaric slavery on the continent. If slavery has been abolished in 1833, slavery should continue no more, but the Arab countries still claim superiority over indigenous Africans. As far as the Dinka or Monyjang history is concerned, Dinka was never enslaved by the Arabs. I know my Dinka or Monyjang fellows are being exploited by Arab tribes in northern Sudan and the African governments are not taking action. The international community must bring these savage tribes to justice.
Michael Nuul Mayen, Manitoba,Sudanese in Canada
Slavery in Africa was created by the European colonialist when agricultural plantations forced African labourers to work on their farms with poor pay and poor working conditions. African immigrants in European cities are forced to work in odd jobs and their passports are detained. They have no contact with the outside world and their families. Multi-national companies in Africa are the source of slavery in Africa today.
Yussuf Dayib Ali, Nairobi, Kenya
It is heart rendering that in this century, people are still subjecting others to sub human treatment in the name of slavery. In Africa, people view the modern form of slavery as being OK. Even parents willingly give their children to people they know who will subject them to inhuman treatment in exchange for money. Poverty and ignorance is at the root of it all. The world will find it almost impossible to convince the average African to change this line of thought.
King Yemmy Adu, Nigeria
Slavery will always exist as long as there is a gap between the rich and the poor. It is the same not only in Africa but also in other continents. Thousands of poor Rwandans work in rich people's firms or houses and they are treated like slaves. They are voiceless and not allowed to express their needs and wants. They don't know that the United Nations designated 2004 as an anti-slavery year, and even if they did know, it means nothing to them.
Albert P'Rayan, Indian expat in Rwanda
Many Africans especially in Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia have teenagers as young as 12 who are sent to rich Arab countries to serve their masters. They never go out and do not have enough food. Those who are lucky, escape, but some die if they challenge their masters.
D. Abebe, UK
Slavery still exists even today. Recently, I met a woman working for almost nothing. For 24 hours a day she looked after a rich diplomat's child and his house. She would not accept my help out of fear of violence or deportation and I deeply regret not forcing the matter at the time. She and the family have disappeared from the area. I hope the employer will be punished one day, however, I have accepted that it will inevitably be this woman who will suffer, whether the authorities know about it or not.
Stephanie Parkes, Switzerland
Slavery exists because of the poverty that has ravaged the affected regions. The economy of the modern world is skewed towards developed economies. Unemployment and poor standards of living are the cause of this shameful menace.
Olufemi Ijadimbola, Nigeria
Most Africans can be considered as slaves. We're slaves to war, disease, poverty and hunger and the rest of the world looks on in indifference.
Thabo Kesiswame, Zimbabwe
I was probably a slave when I entered the US 15 years ago. Confined to a farmland, in the middle of nowhere, some where in North Carolina. One can probably become a slave when the fear of being deported exceeds the pain and sufferings one undergo, coupled with ignorance. I walked out of that God forbidden place without a single problem. Today, I own my own home, a beautiful wife and two wonderful daughters.
Allie K, U.S.A
In my country Ghana, and I'm sure this goes for most African countries, families "donate" their young daughters between the ages of say 8 and 20 to more "affluent" families. Sometimes, the more "affluent" family might be just a single notch better than the "donating" family. The understanding is that these girls from poor families would live with their hosts, work for them and enjoy a "better" standard of life. They are often made to work from the crack of dawn till late in the night for no pay. What's more, the majority live under many other kinds of ill treatment which includes, physical and emotional abuse, as well as sexual assaults from the males in their host families. I believe that as the gap between the rich and poor narrows in Africa, and when educational opportunities increase, this phenomenon will die a natural death. No amount of legislation, though, could end this practice.
Benjamin Obeng, USA
Slave trade has not been abolished in my country. The truth of the matter is that we had a freedom from the hands of our colonial masters. In Nigeria today the citizens are been enslaved by those who claim to be the peace makers and political leaders. We are still under neo-colonialism which is more or less slavery.
Onyeka Etumudor, Nigeria.
Slavery exists because some people feel that they are better than others. The same beliefs that were held in the 1800s are the same today. We still have racism. This isn't about economics and anyone who feels that way is obviously not an African. I have seen educated and wealthy Africans been treated like dirt. It is an African problem, plain and simple and unless we as Africans have more respect for ourselves, we are going to be victimized over and over again.
Vickie, USA
Slavery is undoubtedly the worst crime to humanity, it is unfortunate that this crime still rears its head in some parts of the world. This is largely because when the hardship of abject poverty, famine and uncertainty is rife in a place, the possibility of being able to stand for one's self is completely eroded, this obviously makes the people prone to be trafficked for this inhuman cause.
Eseme Ojaruega, Dominican Republic
When we hear of such barbaric practices, that happpen today, one should ask the following question. Is this the twenty first century? Are the reported cases of slavery in Mauritania,Niger, Sudan and other countries verifiable? I believe that slavery in Africa today is not practiced as it was in the 1800's. Maybe its class inequality not plain simple slavery.
Mubarak Salah, United Kingdom
Factories and such promise lucrative wages and benefits, then seize everything the immigrants brought with them and forbid them to contact anyone. Rebecca, USA
Capitalist slavery exists in the US, using illegal immigrants - mostly from Central and South America. Factories and such promise lucrative wages and benefits, then seize everything the immigrants brought with them and forbid them to contact anyone. Any complaint is met with a threat to hand them over to local law enforcement - who won't be nearly as nice and polite as immigration - most dissenters are simply shot - there will always be another ready to walk into the trap. It's an unlimited supply of free labor, like a twisted American Dream: here, slaves don't even cost anything! This is most prevalent in the President's home state of Texas, I might add.
Rebecca, USA
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/3985885.stm
Published: 2004/11/05 16:35:20 GMT
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3985885.stm
© BBC MMV
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Kola_boof
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Kola_boof
Post Number: 242
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 12:21 pm: |
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VERY, VERY GOOOOOD.
This is the story I've been trying to get out my whole career.
Thanks for posting this.
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Anunaki3600
Newbie Poster
Username: Anunaki3600
Post Number: 11
Registered: 04-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 04:40 am: |
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Even though the chains of slavery have been removed from our hands in Amerika, the CLAMP of slavery has been placed on our heads and is being tightened every day. Mental slavery is the worst kind because one may not even know that he or she is a slave. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 2629
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 05:09 am: |
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Ditto with the thanks for the post.
And, Anunaki, that "mental slavery" you cite swings both ways. Some of us are de facto slavers, without being aware we are.
Here's an example of African Slavery that we ALL will likely be directly effected by more than a dozen times with a single year:
Did you all out there know that TWO THIRDS of all CHOCOLATE we consume in the United State is obtained via cocoa plants that are largely picked by kidnapped and enslaved children in Africa’s Ivory Coast?
I wonder would we completely STOP eating chocolate to protest the mistreatment of these kids as we protested doing business with South Africa to effect the abolition of Aparthied. |
Anunaki3600
Newbie Poster
Username: Anunaki3600
Post Number: 12
Registered: 04-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 07:42 am: |
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I totally agree with you ABM. We should always vote with our pockets. Are the slave waged voluntary (migrant) workers who pick most of the fruits and vegetables in California and Florida who come from south of the border any different? Can we call them SLAVES or Voluntary slaves?? Should we stop buying fruits from Vons, etc? Does low prices for fruits and vegetables justify us accepting their work conditions? |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 2637
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 08:05 am: |
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Anunaki,
I do NOT equate the situation in Ivory Coast with that of migrant farming.
Because although they may work in deplorable conditions and for substandard wages, (to my knowledge) migrants are NOT being COERCED against their wills to do the work they do.
But in the Ivory Coast, you have children being literally stolen from their parents and FORCED, at as young as 6 years old, to pick cocoa seedling.
They parents often have no idea of what happened to their children and how/whether they can ever retrieve them. The children have no choice in the matter and aren't even mature enough to choose even if such a option was granted to them.
And, unlike the migrants, the enslaved African children are NOT being paid.
So, although I empathize with migrant farmer, I consider the plight of the African children to be much more heinous and evil than that of the farmers. |
Anunaki3600
Newbie Poster
Username: Anunaki3600
Post Number: 13
Registered: 04-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 08:39 am: |
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I again agree with you Abm. From the little research I have just done, the majority of cocoa comes from small farms who sell their cocoa pods to cooporatives owned by small scale farmers. These co-ops can bargain better prices for the small scale farmers as a group. These small scale farmers utilize mostly family labour for harvesting their cocoa pods. I don't know about the labour used by large farmers. You may be correct in that they may utilize kidnapped labourers. Now that the country is divided into two because of the civil war, and the majority of young people are armed to the teeth including child soldiers, I guess the child cocoa pod pickers are now AK47 carrying child soldiers. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 2664
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 03:20 pm: |
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Anunaki,
I’m NOT expert in this matter. What I understand about this suggest it is difficult to discern the extent of the child slavery.
But here’s a quote on the issue you might find interesting:
“The $13 billion U.S. chocolate industry is heavily dominated by just two firms– Hershey’s and M&M Mars–who control two-thirds of the market. Unfortunately, both of these companies fall into the category of those companies who use large amounts of Ivory Coast cocoa, and whose products are almost certainly produced in part by lavery.”
http://www.earthsave.org/newsletters/chocolate.htm
As you might guess, American and European Chocolate manufacturers and distributors feign having limited knowledge of and control over what’s going on. ‘Course, less child labor would likely increase their costs and reduce their profits. But I’m sure any relationship at all between their ignorance/impotence of child slavery and the impact of such on their cost/profit structure are only mildly coincidental. |
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