For most of us slavery is something we have heard about but haven’t witnessed personally. Many find it hard to believe reports that there is more human trafficking today than when the slave trade was “abolished”, and even if we are well informed it can be difficult to imagine what modern-day slavery looks like. So let me introduce you to two young Sudanese women who told me their story.
Rebecca’s village was raided by nomadic militia from the north when she was a young girl. Her father was killed, the village burned, and Rebecca abducted and enslaved by a family in Southern Kordofan. As she matured she became a sex-object for her master. Apparently because of jealousy, the master’s wife arranged Rebecca’s marriage to another Sudanese abductee and she has two children from this relationship. Christian Solidarity International arranged Rebecca’s release but when she returned to her village she discovered her husband was a close relative – something so disgraceful in Dinka culture that her husband was forced to leave and Rebecca now lives without support from her community and with little prospect of marriage. She is blind in one eye as a result of being beaten by her master.
Asha was even younger when she was abducted. Her master raised her until she was old enough to “marry”, but after her first child discarded her and offered her for sex to other men who would visit. She was regularly beaten. When investigators located her and began the process of lobbying for her release, Asha’s master would hide her away to a different location. Recently Asha was released, again through the work of CSI, and is beginning to make a new life for herself. But it isn’t easy. She has no memory of her family of origin and doesn’t even know which tribe she belongs to. In a culture where identity is determined through family lineage, Asha has only vague suggestions of where she might have come from. Still, she has recently married, has a new baby, and is making a home for herself in the community.
Lobbying continues for the release of 35,000 abductees in northern Sudan.
Liberated abductees Rebecca and Asha
2 comments:
The Islamic prophet Muhammad encouraged manumission of slaves, even if one had to purchase them first. On many occasions, Muhammad's companions, at his direction, freed slaves in abundance. Muhammad personally freed 63 slaves, and his wife Aisha freed 67 by buying them from their masters and just freed them just for the love of god (Allah), Profit Muhammad and his friends have freed 39,000 slaves during the first years of islam.
while before talking about arabs and non arabs, see who was taken by force from african countries to build the united states of america??? can you imagine the number of those poor africans who were killed in the states??
Yes, I agree. Even these two women were liberated with the assistance of the Sultans. In writing this article I am aware that slavery exists amongst Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and Moslem societies, and that probably the vast majority of people from these communities will not approve of the practice. I am not judging people from one race or religion against another. But I have an opportunity to increase awareness and work to improve the situation of those from South Sudan.
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