Thursday, May 19, 2005
Slavery, and pretending it doesnt exist
Two thousand people took to the streets of Niamey, the capital of Niger, to demand the release of anti-slavery campaginers Ilguilas Wila and Alassane Biga. The BBC reports:
Ilguilas Weila and Alassane Biga have spent more than two weeks in custody.
They deny charges of attempted fraud, by allegedly trying to falsely
elicit money from foreign donors.................
London-based Anti-Slavery International has urged the authorities to immediately release Mr Weila and Mr Biga, who both work for the anti-slave organisation, Timidria.
"We are very concerned for their welfare and categorically refute the charges against them," said Anti-Slavery International Africa Programme Officer Romana Cacchioli.
"The government's actions appear to be a concerted campaign not only to discredit their reputation and the work of Timidria, but also to silence efforts to end slavery in the country."
The problem for the Niger´ian government is, that while it passed a law abolishing slavery in May 2003 (ie, two years ago, and only under massive pressure by western donors), it really doesnt want to actually ACT upon that law.
Interference began already in 2003, when the government tried to prevent the press from reporting the first slaves being freed. The following from the BBC:
Drama as Niger slaves are freed
Dozens of slaves have been set free at a ceremony in Niger despite an attempt by the local authorities to stop the event being reported.
The ceremony in Tahoua in central Niger was disrupted by police, who seized equipment from journalists.
...........
Tears of joy
The BBC's Idy Baraou says Governor Ziti Maiga sought to prevent journalists reporting on the ceremony, because he, along wiht many others in authority, does not accept that slavery still exists in Niger.
However, our reporters says the former slaves shed tears of joy as they were given certificates showing they were now free.
................
Castrated
The organisation says many female slaves are raped and subjected to other forms of sexual abuse by their masters.
Men who disobey orders are flogged or in serious instances castrated.
Succeeding in having the first dozens of slaves freed, anti-slavery campaigners then planned for a grand ceremony this february, in which some 7.000 slaves would be freed. Initial participation by the government was even secured. But then it happened:
Niger cancels 'free-slave' event
The government of Niger has cancelled at the last minute a special ceremony during which at least 7,000 slaves were to be granted their freedom.
A spokesman for the government's human rights commission, which had helped to organise the event, said this was because slavery did not exist.
It is not clear why the government, which was also a co-sponsor of the ceremony, changed its position.
At least 43,000 people across Niger are thought to be in slavery.
It is this event that the Niger´ian government now tries to turn on the anti-slavery campaigners. Seems as if, now that it has gotten rid of the pushy attention of the western donor countries, the government wants to shut people up so it can go on in its old ways and maintain slavery. One word comes to mind:
Vile
In case you´d like to help do something about this, you can drop the Niger´ian ambassador to the US a piece of your mind here: ambassadeniger@hotmail.com
Other contact info here.
If you prefer to actually achieve something, try working your government. Its the one holding the purse strings for the Niger´ian government - 45% of Niger government revenue came from foreign donors in 2002.
You can mail the Danish foreign ministry here: um@um.dk
The US State Department is somewhat trickier -
To send them your "foreign policy opinions", go here.
To send a message to the Secretary of State (ie, Condoleezza Rice), go here.
Henrik
