Slavery
In Mauritania
Paladins, the world today is so full of
knowledge and efficiency, yet injustices that take place every day are often
ignored. Reading this article will give you insight on an issue that you may
not be aware of. In a world that is becoming more and more social and
electronic, celebrities and pop culture seem to take precedence in our minds. Slavery
is an issue that many people consider obsolete today. However, in the Islamic
Republic of Mauritania, that is most definitely not the case.
The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is a largely
desert nation in West Africa. Slavery has existed in Mauritania for
hundreds of years. It is deeply rooted within society across the country. The descendants of Africans
abducted into slavery now live in Mauritania as haratin.
They still serve the "Moors" (whites), or bidhan, as slaves. All cases of slavery in Mauritania involve people
whose ancestors were enslaved before them. This slavery is considered an
"inheritance." They are owned
and controlled by their masters, and are treated as if they are property. If
they do not listen to their masters, they are threatened and abused.
This slavery does not only exist for
women. Men and children are also kept as slaves. The job of the men is usually
to herd cattle and work on their master's farmland. The women carry out an
exorbitant amount of domestic chores. Girls start work for their masters at a very young age
and throughout their lives continue to undertake all domestic duties, including
fetching water and firewood, cooking, doing the laundry, caring for the
children of their master, and moving the tents. They are first to get up
in the morning and last to go to sleep. They are rarely allowed to leave the
home of their master and are often subjected to violence and sexual assault. Their master also will get to
decide whom they marry and at what age they marry. When they have children, they
instantly become the property of their masters and the cycle continues, with
many of the children serving the master for their entire lives or being passed
onto their relatives to serve as "gifts."
You may be
wondering why the slaves do notsimply stand up for themselves or run away. This
is due to various reasons. They are brainwashed from a young age into believing
that if they disobey their masters, they will not go to paradise. In
reality, Islam does not allow a Muslim to enslave another Muslim. Also, the
slaves are fed, sheltered, and clothed by their masters. It is very difficult
to run away because so much of the land is desert.
Every single person has a
voice. So, it is up to us to use our voices and speak out against this horror. It's
time to raise awareness and do everything we can to get the United States more
involved. With the help of our country, the slaves in
Mauritania can get the justice they deserve. We must fight to get the
government of Mauritania to enforce an antislavery law. Thank you for your
time.
