ADVERTISEMENT
3 African countries where 'Slave Trade' is still a booming business
Cultural practice of selling off minority tribes or groups still flourishes in some African countries.
ADVERTISEMENT
Though modern slave trade has been reshaped to be more of brain-drain and political control of leaders to do the wills of the superpowers. In these African countries there is a slave trade market.
Hence there is a practice of use of human for domestic services, debt bondage, slaves for sacrifice and military slaves among others.
Here are the three African countries where slave trade is still a regular business.
ADVERTISEMENT
1. Sudan
The Civil war between 1983 and 2005 has led to the resurgence of the slave trade in the country. In Sudan, there is a slave-taking militia from the Baggara ethnic group that captures and enslaves black people from the tribes of Dinka, Nuer and Nuba.
Some of the captured persons are sent across to Libya, which is one of the travailing slave markets in Africa.
The slave traders or masters are Arabs, and human rights campaigners have accused the government of supporting this activity.
For black skinned person visiting the country, you should be careful not to land in their slave trade stall.
ADVERTISEMENT
2. Libya
Even before the current crisis in Libya, the country has been a major market for human trafficking in the region. Its position which is close to the Mediterranean sea and Italy makes a lot of people attempting to get smuggled across the sea to be sold as a slave.
Many black Africans from neighbouring countries seeking to cross over to Europe through the Libyan coast are usually captured by Libyan rebels and sold off as slaves to local masters.
Also, women and children are often the majority of the captives of these Libyan rebels while the women are held as sex slaves.
3. Mauritania
ADVERTISEMENT
In this North African country of Mauritania, slavery is still held as a culture in some parts of the country. Though the practice was abolished in 1981 by the government.
The light-skinned Berbers -“beydan” (Whites), and the mixed Berber-Arabs are all slave owners known as “al-beydan.” While black Mauritanians from the minority ethnic group, known as “Moors” or the “Haratin,” are the slaves and are considered commodity of their masters.
Just like what is obtainable in Sudan, slaves and their descendants are considered the full property of their masters.
FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA
ADVERTISEMENT
Recommended articles
A look into the diverse tax reforms being implemented across Africa
Dubai firm to lend South Sudan $12.9 billion in exchange for 20 years oil repayment
China dethrones USA as the most influential global power in Africa: Report
Major African economies expecting inflation ease into next year, except Nigeria
10 African countries with the lowest price changes in household commodities
Dangote refinery outranks Europe's 10 largest refining facilities
Africa may just have the lowest level of cyber threats compared to other regions
A look into Kenya’s Shs1.1 billion climate funding from the UK