| Author |
Message |
    
Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 2179
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 03:39 pm: | 
|
Thousands of Ethiopian Children Sold by Parents
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
20 October 2005 01:54
Ethiopian children are being sold for as little as
$1,20 (about R7,90) to work as domestic workers or
prostitutes, the International Organisation for
Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday.
Up to 20 000 children, some 10 years old, are sold
each year by their parents and trafficked by
unscrupulous brokers to work in cities across
Ethiopia, the IOM added.
The figures were announced as the Ethiopian
government, the United Nations and the IOM launched a
campaign to highlight the suffering endured by
vulnerable children in this Horn of Africa nation.
Dubbed "Ethiopia's Campaign for Vulnerable Children",
the campaign encourages candidates running in local
elections scheduled for early 2006 to push the issue
on to the agenda.
Top athletes -- including Ethiopian Olympic gold
medallist Kenenisa Bekele -- have also joined the
campaign to highlight the plight of vulnerable or
orphaned children.
There are an estimated 4,6-million orphans in
Ethiopia, about 13% of all the country's children.
About 200 000 children are believed to live on the
streets of the capital, Addis Ababa.
"While this crisis of vulnerable children is depriving
children of their rights to human development, it is
also proving to be a growing burden on already
impoverished communities," said Bjorn Ljungqvist, head
of the UN Children's Fund in Ethiopia.
A legal expert with the IOM's counter-trafficking unit
in Addis Ababa, Alem Brook, said Ethiopia has one of
the highest rates of internal trafficking of children
in the world.
"The parents are often deceived with promises of money
or that the child will be educated," Alem told
journalists. "Traffickers pay around 10 to 20
Ethiopian birr [$1,20 to $2,40] for each child. We are
talking about thousands of children each year."
She said the specific numbers are almost impossible to
calculate due to the clandestine nature of the trade,
but estimated that it could be up to 20 000 each year.
About two-thirds of the children are trafficked by
brokers who take a percentage of the child's earnings,
while one-third are trafficked by friends and family.
According to the IOM, trafficking is the
fastest-growing crime in the world; it is believed to
net those involved about $10-billion a year.
Alem said the majority of boys and girls end up as
domestic labourers, commercial sex workers, weavers or
professional beggars.
The IOM warned that thousands of Ethiopian women are
also trafficked abroad. At least 10 000 have been sent
to the Gulf States to work as prostitutes, the agency
said.
"There are increasing numbers of young women being
recruited from here for sexual purposes," Alem said.
Traffickers in Ethiopia expect to earn about 7 000
birr (about $800) for each victim they send overseas,
she added. However, if caught, they are liable to 20
years' imprisonment, but few are ever prosecuted. --
Irin
|
Renata
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Renata
Post Number: 144
Registered: 08-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 04:32 pm: |
|
20 years is too few years. |
Africanqueen
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Africanqueen
Post Number: 279
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 09:43 pm: |
|
so sad..  poor children. |
Roxie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Roxie
Post Number: 277
Registered: 06-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 11:34 pm: |
|
Is there anything that can be done to help? |
Kola_boof
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Kola_boof
Post Number: 752
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 11:49 pm: |
|
I seriously doubt it, Roxie.
There is no "police" infrastructure, no communication lines. Very little other than bringing SHAME on the country can be done from here.
|
Blaklioness
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 02:14 am: |
|
This makes my stomach turn. It's bad enough that so many of the children are orphaned and being adopted by Europeans for cultural brainwashing and exploitation. Some years back, I remember teaching a little Ethiopian girl who'd been adopted by whites; I had trouble with the mother almost from day one. I will never NEVER forget the day that little girl looked up at me and said, "Hey, you look like me!" Not too long after, the witch took her out of my class and enrolled her in another school. I always wonder what happened to her because I know that they were not exposing her to her culture or other Black people. It absolutely infuriates me that Black people are doing such a poor job keeping our children out of enemy hands...infuriates me! |
Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 2183
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 02:32 am: |
|
Thank God....and I mean THANK YOU JESUS...
that I was adopted by Black Americans.
Many of my friends who are Sudanese orphans, raised by WHITES----are constantly telling me that I was so LUCKY to be placed with Blacks.
I may have had some mental problems...but not like theirs.
|
Blaklioness
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 03:54 am: |
|
This is what I mean, Kola. These are AFRICAN people---a people with a history of community love and responsibility---turning its children over to the enemy to raise and dehumanize. With all the people who remain, there must have been SOME other African/Black people who could have been appealed to take them in. You WERE fortunate in many ways...despite the flaws. This is happening in the welfare system in this country...way TOO many Black children are being placed in the wrong hands, and the system claims that nobody BLACK wants them. We're not doing enough to keep our children out of harm's way...yet we can't seem to figure out WHY they are so angry and rebellious. |
Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 2186
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 03:58 am: |
|
I write about it in my autobiography Blaklioness...and several of my Sudani friends allowed me to quote their experiences.
It's VERY important, I thought, that I write about it.
People constantly compliment me as a "black woman writer"---amazed by my powers and voice--
but they don't realize it's BECAUSE I'm a "fussion", a "hybrid" of African and Black American "pathos".
I truly believe that if we could FUSE more of us, we could turn this world on its ear.
I truly believe that..THAT..is the key to undoing our oppression.
|
Blaklioness
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 04:07 am: |
|
I can't wait until it comes out...I already have two of your other works, so I know this one will be informative too.
Kola, we are the alpha and the omega...as it was in the beginning, so will it be in the end...Mother Universe will take care of that...
|
Blkamericanking
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Blkamericanking
Post Number: 81
Registered: 08-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 04:32 am: |
|
This really breaks my heart, that Ethiopian parents are selling their children. I heard the same thing was happenning in some West African countries. A lot of times i feel like catching the next flight to Africa and raise some serious heel when i hear about all the terrible things that are going on there. God please lay a hand on that continent. |
Anonymous
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 05:37 am: |
|
Kola, I agree. Instead of mixing with whites, we need to mix Africans with western hemisphere blacks. Now that is the best of both worlds.
|
Anunaki3600
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Anunaki3600
Post Number: 110
Registered: 04-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 05:55 am: |
|
Addis-Ababa has the greatest number of beggers that one can find among any capital cities in the whole world. Begger children, begger teenagers, begger adults, you name it. You can get child prostitutes both male and female. No wonder Ethiopians who come to the US don't want to look back (black) and have some type of self-hate because of where they come from and what they practice back in Ethiopia (just read Th_Ethiopian's). If I had the power, one would need a license to have a child. |
Africanqueen
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Africanqueen
Post Number: 282
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 11:58 am: |
|
Yal know that only the whites have the money and only/mostly the whites will buy these children because of the money, right?
If black people had this power, you know they'd be lined up for their children, but no. Instead, they're lined up to sell them... Poor babies.
I don't understand why these people have children knowing that they will not be taken care of.. it's sickenning. |
Africanqueen
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Africanqueen
Post Number: 284
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 12:07 pm: |
|
"Instead of mixing with whites, we need to mix Africans with western hemisphere blacks. Now that is the best of both worlds".
My respond: How can this be done when we're already poor? How many black women and men are striving to do this, or could they all possibly be poor? |
Blaklioness
Regular Poster
Username: Blaklioness
Post Number: 36
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 12:09 pm: |
|
Africanqueen,
People should not be deprived of the right to have children because they may be in a temporary state of poverty. You should know that God/dess will provide. What's going on here is about ethics...people should KNOW better than to sell their children. Period. I'm not swallowing that they were under the impression the children would be 'educated', because who needs to BUY children to educate them??? |
Africanqueen
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Africanqueen
Post Number: 287
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 12:37 pm: |
|
Blacklioness,
Who's depriving who of having children? In Africa, I know that anyone can have children, they're just not capable of taking care of them, but "lining them up" to be sold!
And I know God provides, but at the same time, he prepares the mother and the father for their unborn children.. And yes, these parents should know better than to sell their children BEFORE THEY ARE BORN!
Most white folks have a plan for all their children before they are even born. This is what I'm talking about.. having something in this world for our African babies.. and selling them is defitnitely not one! Adoption is a possiblity, but slavery/selling should never be an option.
I know allot of people need to "adopt" children not "buy" buy them! I define "adoption" and "buying" to be two different things. African Americans were sold and bought. Tom Cruise's black children were adopted. I don't know, I just feel those 2 things are different. But I truly believe black people need to adopt their own children. It's only fair to grow up with one's own people. This is why it is not "racist" to me when white people refuse to adopt black children in the hospitals. That is the right thing for them to do. Black people need to adopt their own children so that these children will have a sense of belonging and not feel white when they have black skin. |
Renata
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Renata
Post Number: 155
Registered: 08-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 06:06 pm: |
|
#1: there should be a plan for better birth control options in third world countries, for those who don't wish to have or are unable to afford children.
#2: A lot of black Americans are able to adopt children but, for whatever reason, choose not to. I wish to adopt children, but my husband just doesn't want any more.
#3: Often, but not always, blacks able to adopt are so colorist that they wouldn't accept non light-skinned children. Sad, but true. (To American blacks, Ethiopians aren't considered light skinned.)
#4: Due to the breakdown of American families, American blacks who do adopt usually end up adopting the child of a son/daughter/cousin/niece/nephew/etc., and are too overwhelmed to adopt others. |
Kola_boof
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Kola_boof
Post Number: 763
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 06:14 pm: |
|
You guys are making some good points.
But let's not forget that in 3rd world countries, "children" and "cattle" are considered "wealth".
Dirt poor poverty-stricken people try to have as many children as possible. Daughters can bring a high "bride price" and sons can work the land, etc.
Although about 20,000 Ethiopian children are facing this horrendous slave practice, lets not forget that there are 63 million Ethiopians and that the vast majority are not living like this.
The problem is there is no infracstructure to make the other citizens aware of what is going on. You have no idea how "disconnected" it is when you live in Africa. A whole city could be wiped out just 200 miles away and you may not know for months.
As well, even once they know, the government is a terrible one there. Nothing will be done. You can only alert the White MEDIA to "shame" the gov. over there to get something moving.
It's not going to stop.
You know what's strange?
South Sudanese will not sell their kids or invoke these practices and I don't understand why. The South Sudanese are even poorer than the Ethiopians, but they will die with their children first.
|
Blaklioness
Regular Poster
Username: Blaklioness
Post Number: 42
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 10:50 pm: |
|
Africanqueen:
You said that you didn't understand why people had children they knew they couldn't take care of. My response was that people shouldn't be deprived of the right to have children based on poverty ALONE. The rest of the comments in your last post I agree with 1000 percent. |
Africanqueen
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Africanqueen
Post Number: 289
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 02:58 pm: |
|
Kola,
It's all in the culture... south Sudanese would rather earn respect in poverty than to disgrace their children and sell them for food. My mother's always taught me not to "ask" for anything that's not mine, and to "refuse" when it is given to me. We all have to work for everything to prevent shame and "bad name".
Our dignity is more important to us. We're so unique in every single way. "You don't ask someone what they want to drink when they step into your house". "offer", "respect" and "guide your guests". "Share every piece of meal on your plate with your brother and sister, mother and father." "girls, cook for the family" and "boys, find food to be cooked!"
Hope this answers your question . |
Roxie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Roxie
Post Number: 290
Registered: 06-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 11:26 am: |
|
--These are AFRICAN people---a people with a history of community love and responsibility---turning its children over to the enemy to raise and dehumanize. --
Now I ever more worried for the little girl Angelina Jolie adopted. Not to mention those kids adopted by Steven speilberg and Nicole kidman & Tom cruise's kids.
---------------------------------
Not topic related, just saying: If Shar Jackson really wants to secure her children's well being, I hope she already learned to keep them away from Daddy and his new pimp--I mean wife. |
Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 2201
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 02:39 pm: |
|
Roxie,
African people are no different than the rest of the human beings on earth.
They have a history of being just as satanic, greedy and selfish as WHITE people and always have been.
How do you think you were SOLD to the U.S.?
And Black Americans are the evil, selfish, self-hating, self-destructive SPITTING IMAGE of their African ancestors.
I believe we could get a lot further if we could dismiss this bullshit about BLACKS having a "moral superiority" over other races.
WE DO NOT.
Like everybody else, we're human beings.
|
Muslimahk
First Time Poster
Username: Muslimahk
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 03:18 pm: |
|
I just came back from Addis and there were so many sicko looking white men around. I was like why are there so many white men here? Then I started seeing some white men w/ Ethiopian women and it was quite obvious.Everywhere they go they change societies...for the worse! |
Email This Page