Thousands Still Live in Slavery in Northern Mali
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- goldenways
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http://www.worldpress.org/Africa/3198.cfm
People continue to be enslaved in northern Mali, according to Malian human rights organization Temedt, despite a widespread belief that slavery no longer exists in the country."The government believes slavery ended with independence, when many of the people who had been living as slaves in the colonial period were freed," said Temedt president Mohammed Ag Akeratane, "but I would estimate there are still several thousand people living in slavery or slavery-like conditions in modern Mali."
According to Temedt, which means "solidarity" in the Touareg language Tamasheq, slavery continues in the north in the region of Gao 1,200 kilometers (744 miles) north of the capital, Bamako, and around the town of Menaka 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) north of Bamako.
Most of the slavery takes place between the Berber-descended Touaregs and the indigenous Bella people who live in this region, although the Peul and Songhai communities have also been known to use slaves in the past, according to Temedt.
Iddar Ag Ogazide, a Bella, said he lived as a slave in Ansongo, 80 kilometers (49.6 miles) south of Gao, where he worked for the Touareg Ag Baye family for 35 years without receiving a salary or an education. The Ag Bayes bought his great-grandmother and inherited his family members from one generation to the next. In March 2008 Iddar finally could not take any more and hatched a successful escape plan—he is currently living in Gao.
His wife Takwalet, who escaped with him, told IRIN: "Life was hard there. Everything I did was against my will. I did all the cooking, pounding [of millet], getting water, fetching the wood, and sweeping the house. I never received money; I didn't even get any clothes."
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omshaantih
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I am so sorry to hear this. I will send my prayers to them. I hope that life will get better for them.
- 1 year ago
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omshaantih
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onechance
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That's insane.
Although most everyone lives in some type of slavery. I work for a large corporation for 45 hours a week and I can't even afford to have much of anything. That's a form of slavery I'd say.I have it VERY good though comparitively and I am still thankful for what/WHO I do have.
That's pretty sad stuff over there in Mali.
- 1 year ago
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onechance
