Introduction
We live in a civilized society and very often don’t even remember that there are different ways of life in the world and that people can suffer from discrimination, slavery, famine and segregation.
The Columbia Encyclopedia, defines the term slavery as institution based on a relationship of dominance and submission, whereby one person owns another and can exact from that person labor or other services. Slavery has been found among many groups of low material culture, as in the Malay Peninsula and among some Native Americans; it also has occurred in more highly developed societies, such as the southern United States (The Columbia Encyclopedia).
When we hear the word “slavery” we start thinking about Roman Empire or colonization. We think about slavery in the past tense as it’s even hard to imagine that in our era, during the blossom of civilization, technical break through in the beginning of 21st century such a phenomenon can exist. Reading Francis Bok’s book called Escape from Slavery became a great eye-opener for me. I read with great interest about Bok’s life in Sudan, his native country, about slavery and genocide, which still exist in that country. I became eager to find out more on this topic. I’ve spent time reading books and magazine articles and also searched the web in order to get more information and to make my own mind.


Slavery in Sudan:
Historical perspective
Slavery has been common for centuries in Sudan and it exists till now. Slave industry in modern Sudan is a complex organization, which consists of buyers, sellers, middlemen and a number of other people, who profit from slavery. For many year slaves serve as domestic servants, farm workers in the rich families. They can also be trained as soldiers to fight against their own people.
Situation even deteriorated in 1983 after the Sudanese civil war between Arabs and black population of the south. After the victory, Arab-oriented government and state military obedient to it started a broad company on kidnapping women and children from the south, and selling them in the north of the country. It may seem that slavery in Sudan is a result of state police of the Arabian government and that it became widespread only during last several years. In reality, the situation reflects the historical state of events, when during the centuries black African people of the north of the country have been oppressed by the Arabic population (Beshir, 189).
The history of Sudan is a history of confrontation between Arabic and black population of the country. Religion confrontation also adds sharpness to this confrontation. Arabic population is all Islamic and most of the African Blacks are converted Christians. Sudan is Arabian means “land of blacks” and for centuries it was not only the land of blacks, but also the source of income for Arabs, who regarded this territory as a big slave market. Arabs saw blacks as a source of slaves, nation of the “second chop”(Deng, 97). Lawrence Tung, Sudanese human rights monitor wrote in his report, that “In the “mentality of the enslaver”, Southern Sudanese are seen as “less worthy” individuals whose rights can be violated at random” (Gurdon, p. 75). In the nineteenth century, during the bloom of the slavery trade sellers have created and used the whole system of ratable names for the slaves, treating them same as other goods from the shelves. In the 19th century slave raids were common during the time of Turkish-Egyptian and Mahdist rule, when Northern Sudan was the source of slaves. Slavery was abolished in 1898 by the British Empire. It took several years to get rid of this disgraceful social vice and even during the civil war of 1955-1972 slavery wasn’t widespread in the country. It seemed that the problem of slavery was resolved in Sudan till the middle of 1980s, when the situation has changed with the changes in the government. Conception of lower sort people let Arabs treat the representatives of the black race as “natural slaves” (Mills, 40). Such an attitude wasn’t extirpated during the whole history of the country and was realized in the form of oppressions and humiliations of the black population during the time when the slavery was officially prohibited by the government. After governmental changes of 1983 slavery was legalized again in oppressions took more sever forms. In 1986 the government headed by Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi asked Baggarda military to help with the rebels of southern citizens of the country(Scott, 185).
Present State of Events
Governmental regime, which exists in Sudan nowadays, is a radical regime. Which supports oppressions of the black population of the country and also supports raids or the slaver-traders and even encourages them. Sharia or Islamic law was adopted in Sudan in 1983. Pushed by Radical Islamic movement, this law has renewed raids and oppressions against black population of the country. Another outbreak of slavery raids was noticed in 1989 after the military coup of General Omar el-Bashir – the header of radical Islamic movement. This sad tendency lasts nowadays – people are sold as slaves and government not only allows selling people, but even encourages it. During the raids men are killed and women and children become easy reward for the soldiers. Slaves live in inhuman conditions, have to stand acute hunger, hard and even exhausting labor, forced cultural and religious conversion, and even rapes and beatings. Situation has a tendency to deteriorate and the number of people who become slaves grew during last several year. During last ten years several thousands people were kidnapped and sold as slaves in Sudan. A bit number of people doesn’t become slaves officially, but suffer from the oppressions of the governmental army. For example, almost all the representatives of Nuba tribe from the southern part of the country have been evicted from their native territory to “peace camps” created by the government (Abbas, 78).
The number of these people is more than 250 thousands of people, who are not imprisoned inside of this camp without possibility to leave. Dinka people also suffer oppressions and become the victims of slave traders.
Position of the government
‘There has been an alarming increase in the number of reports … of slavery, servitude, the slave trade and forced labor. I regret the total lack of interest shown by the competent Sudanese authorities…’
The government has been unable of its limited wealth and law enforcement resources to eliminate all instances of rural abductions and ransoms stemming from tribal conflicts. Mahdi Ibrahim Mohamed, Sudan’s Ambassador to the United States, August 1996 states, that “Human rights in war zones and areas outside government control are not fully respected…”
(Gurdon, 80).
Present government doesn’t confess the existence of slavery in the country and rejects the facts of people selling. Under the pressure of the world society, a number of committees aiming to investigate the causes of slavery trade have been created in the end of 1990s. The government doesn’t admit facts of slavery and explains the known facts by tribal wars between the representatives of different ethnic groups. Official law doesn’t recognize the slavery in Sudan, but in reality it’s even encouraged by the government. Unfortunately, very often military soldiers who ruin villages, kill men, rape women and take their children to slavery act by the order of the government.
Very often the relatives of the captured people have to pay money to return their relatives. The tribes try to negotiate with the state in order to return their stolen member, but the state helps very little. The representatives of Dinka and Rezeigat tribes had to give their pastures and waters, which historically belonged to them in return to the lives of one thousand children from their tribes. It’s evident that the government was aware of this shameful deal.
Conclusion
The practice of slavery, which was widespread in the 18-19th centuries, is renewed now. After the changes in the government in the middle of 1980s and long civil war, people are sold as slaves again. Historically, the southern part of the country, inhabited by blacks is oppressed by the Arabs from the North of the country.
Government denies the facts of genocide and slavery, calling it the war between tribes. United Nations Organization and human rights group insist on investigations about the slavery cases in the country, force labor and killing people.Do you need any help with your written assignments? Feel free to use our service! It is very easy process to buy an essay! You need to fill in the order form, contact the writer to discuss details, if needed, and, of course, pay money. Make your life easier, using writing services! If you have problems with your written assignments we will help you.

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