Tag: Slavery Page 2 of 3

By Evans K. Chama, M.Afr

Published in the Saturday Post, Saturday August 3, 2013

Slavery was made illegal a long time ago but it has never been abolished. It is still here today in various forms and women are among its victims. It may sound exaggerated to label the violence that women suffer as slavery. Nonetheless, the situation of gender relations shows sufficient traits that are typical of slavery. That is why we must be aware of this violence which goes often unnoticed.

Firstly, let us refresh our understanding of slavery. Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property, traded and subjected to forced work. It is also a relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another, controlling his/her life and liberty. We speak of chattel slavery when people are treated as property that can change hands like commodities. In bonded labour a person is in some kind of debt which he/she has to pay by fulfilling certain roles. And we have forced labour when one is obliged to work or do something against his/her will. READ MORE

Slavery: not just a thing of the past

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On July 20, 2013

In Justice and Peace, News, Publications

By Pierre Lafollie M.Afr

Published in the Saturday Post, Saturday 20 July 2013

When the White Fathers arrived in the north of Zambia in 1891 they discovered that the slave trade was still thriving in spite of having been abolished by many countries. Their reports, together with other witnesses coming from different parts of Africa, prompted their founder, Cardinal Charles Lavigerie, to launch an antislavery campaign whose 125^th anniversary is being celebrated this year. But the fight is far from over since slavery is still with us.

The White Fathers in Northern Zambia

When Brazil abolished slavery in 1888, it was the last Western country to do so. Thus, when the first Missionaries of Africa (popularly known as the White Fathers) settled in July 1891 at Mambwe Mwela, along today’s Tanzania – Zambia border, the Western slave trade had ended since its market, essentially across the Atlantic, had disappeared and the slaves had already been freed. In this corner of Africa though, the missionaries arrived in a country devastated by a still active campaign of slave raiding. READ MORE

Interview with the Iranian Muslim scholar Seyed Amir Akrami

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On June 21, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Publications

New interview of the antislavery campaign with the Iranian Muslim scholar Seyed Amir Akrami

Amir shares with us his understanding of how Islam faces the challenge of slavery in its old and modern force. He says that “Muhammad was not able to eradicate or abolish the institution of slavery because that was tantamount to making such a radical revolution in his society that his time was not prepared for it. (…) It would be anachronistic to expect the Prophet of Islam to abolish slavery in his time. Drastic social or political changes need time and the confluence of many historical factors and elements to make it possible for them to occur (…) To me the fact that the Prophet of Islam was not able to abolish slavery is not problematic at all but what is problematic is for a Muslim individual or society in our time to argue from that historical fact for the impossibility or undesirability of abolishing slavery in Muslim societies now.”

Amir talks about the challenge faced by religious minorities in Muslim countries, also the situation of women when saying that “injustice or discrimination against women in many societies, and especially in Muslim countries, are modern forms of slavery that we need to be abolished.” He invites us to welcome the mystical tradition of Islam so to be enriched again by its core values.

READ MORE

Pre-Islamic Arabia, including trade routes

Main slave trade routes in the Medieval Age

Slave Trade

Slavery in South Africa between 1830s and 1850s

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On June 11, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Publications, South Africa Sector

They called their slave Inboekselings

In those stormy years between 1830s and 1850s the majority of Voortrekkers in the Transvaal were involved in a reprehensible though highly profitable occupation: the kidnapping of African children. It was a practice that sparked waves of terror in African homesteads. READ MORE

Slavery at the Cape

Jan Van Riebeck set foot at the Cape on 6 April 1652. His instructions from the Dutch East India Company were clear: he was forbidden to enslave the indigenous people of the Cape. However, slaves from elsewhere were another matter and in May 1652, only weeks after arriving at Table Bay, he asked for slaves to be sent to help erect the fort and till the land. For the first five years the only slaves at the Cape were stowaways or gifts from the captains of passing ships. In 1658 there were 11 slaves, eight women and three men.(…)

Slavery – the imposition of enforced servitude by a powerful group on another group – inevitably breeds fear in both groups, and resentment in the oppressed. There was also tension among the whites, who constantly feared a mass rebellion and death at the hand of a slave. There was always the fear that slaves who had run away might return to rob and kill, and so large rewards were offered for their recapture. READ MORE

Thanks to Didier Lemaire, M.Afr for sharing those articles with us.

Antislavery Workshop in Chipata

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On May 20, 2013

In Justice and Peace, News, Zambia Sector

By Dave Cullen, M.Afr

The Association of Religious Men of Zambia (ARMZ) here in Chipata decided that on the occasion of a meeting of members to elect a new executive it would be fitting at the same time to hold a day’s workshop on ‘Slavery in our midst’. It was our way of linking up with the 125th anniversary of Cardinal Lavigerie’s tour of Europe to campaign for the end of slavery as also to commemorate the birth of Livingstone 200 years ago.

there were 12 members of ARMZ present at the workshop, 4 of them Missionaries of Africa. Others who accepted our invitation to attend were 2 representatives from five Sister’s Congregations, 2 Dutch volunteers very much concerned with helping prostitutes in Chipata plus representatives from the local clergy, Caritas and Radio Maria. There were four very good presentations, on prostitution, street kids, child labour in rural areas and exploitation of the vulnerable through cheap labour. After each presentation there was group sharing on just one question: what can we do to overcome these forms of slavery in our midst? Hopefully we will take up the challenges presented and work through such bodies as ZAS, Caritas, NGO’s as well as those groups and individuals who show particular concern in these areas, amongst them presenters of these problems to us who were clearly concerned and actively committed to find solutions.

We shall hold another meeting next year at which we shall ask: what did you actually do about those resolutions you took at last year’s workshop? Hopefully there will be some positive progress recorded. If there is we shall share the good news with you.

Saint Anselm; one of the first opponents of the slave trade

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On April 30, 2013

In News

Anselm lived from 1033 to 1109. Having decided to enter a monastery, he was attracted to Bec in Normandy by the reputation of the great teacher, Lanfranc. Anselm became a monk at 27. A student and close friend of Lanfranc, he eventually succeeded him as prior and abbot of Bec, and became a still more famous teacher.

After the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, William I replaced the English hierarchy with Normans, and Lanfranc was sent as Archbishop of Canterbury. Three years after Lanfranc’s death, Anselm was in England (1093) and was forcibly made archbishop. He was not be nature either an administrator or a politician, but persevered in difficult times and, through his encouragement of English devotions, helped heal the wounds of the Conquest on the English.

Anselm’s fame lies in his role as theologian and philosopher; his argument for the existence of God still holds strong appeal for many. His spirituality greatly influenced the Church and in his concern for the oppressed, he was one of the first opponents of the slave trade. Never formally canonized, he was made a Doctor of the Church in 1720.

From: Living with Christ, April 2013, pages 171-172

Other reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anselm_of_Canterbury

STOP Slavery Leaflet – South Africa

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On April 27, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Publications, South Africa Sector

Interview with John Lynch

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On April 23, 2013

In News, Publications

John shares with us his understanding of addiction as a form of today’s slavery. He says: “I believe that it is a form of slavery in that it takes away freedom of choice within the individual. When one is driven to act by anything that is taking away freedom of choice, then I think it is appropriate to speak of it as a form of slavery.”

He concludes the interview with wise words saying: “In reality there is “no gain without pain”. The only constant in our lives is change. When the addict recognizes the addiction and is willing to accept it and try to live in the present moment seeking in faith and trust in the higher power, he or she can honestly live as “a wounded healer”, seeking each day honesty, openness and willingness, which are the essentials of recovery.” READ MORE

STOP Slavery Leaflet – Malawi

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On April 20, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Malawi Sector, Publications

Human trafficking conference in South Africa, April 9 – 12, 2013

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On April 19, 2013

In Justice and Peace, News, South Africa Sector

A Human Trafficking Conference, organized by Sr. Melanie O’Connor HF, Coordinator of the Counter Trafficking in Persons Office (CTIP) of the LCCL/SACBC, took place at The Good Shepherd Retreat Centre Haartbeespoort from the 9^th till the 12^th April 2013. During the Conference there was the launch of the “TRUCKERS AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING” campaign for which we congratulate FRUIT SPOT as being the first trucking company to engage in this project. Various speakers exposed the dangers of human trafficking, pointing out that truckers can play a significant role in safeguarding victims and potential victims in transportation by reporting offenders sometimes encountered especially at truck stops.

The role of the Church in the pastoral care of truck drivers who face long and hazardous journeys was emphasized. It was stressed that the Church should move from its traditional way of evangelization of waiting for people in church buildings to the new evangelization emphasized in the recent African Synod. Africa has become a continent where millions of people are either willingly or unwillingly daily on the move thus transforming African roads and streets into privileged places of evangelization and education. Therefore our Church should be seen as the Church on the Move.

The presence of over 15 Police units who man the borders of the Northern Cape was acknowledged and highly appreciated by all present as a source of strength in the fight against Human Trafficking. With many of the participants coming from different African countries and representatives from different agencies – NPA, US Embassy etc., religious and lay people, it became obvious that networking is central to the success of the fight against this hydra-headed evil of our time.

One of the outcomes of the Conference was the commitment of each member to further the Truckers against Human Trafficking campaign in their various regions and countries.

A COUNTER TRAFFICKING NETWORK COMMITTEE (CTNC) was established for easy and effective communication.

Sent in by: Sr. Melanie O’Connor (South Africa), Sabina Namfukwe (Zambia), Sr. Patricia Ebegbulem (Nigeria)

Picture below: participants of the Conference