tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31324076.post6095589954446373438..comments2024-02-07T05:15:58.727-05:00Comments on CosWeAfricanWomenAreDoin&DoinItWell: 1 MAN STANDS UP AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY IN NIGER-MEET ILGUILAS WEILA!Yayemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930431992598228126noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31324076.post-74423722003422341382007-09-03T11:39:00.000-04:002007-09-03T11:39:00.000-04:00To understand the slavery problem in Mali & Niger,...To understand the slavery problem in Mali & Niger, it is important to understand the Tuareg feudal class system, which has existed. 5 classes:<BR/>Noble: Imajaghan<BR/>Muslim Priest: Immazughan<BR/>Vassals: Imrad<BR/>Artisans: Inadan<BR/>Slave: Iklan<BR/><BR/>In the Tuareg belief system. Each has its own nature "alkhal" which Allah gave them. A person cannot escape their nature, it is determined by Allah. Thus a slave is a slave and will always remain a slave, in though & spirit even liberated politically or economically speaking. <BR/><BR/>Ilguilas is fighting against a centuries old social-economic system which is condoned by the religious leaders and deeply ingrained in the cultural thinking the "slaves" themselves.<BR/><BR/>Another important aspect to understanding how slavery survives into modern times is that it is usually done under the guise of the Muslim "fourth wife." And that it usually, though not always, involves teenage girls, and young women.<BR/><BR/>Many poor black Tuareg men of the former slave class even though no longer slaves themselves, will sell their daughters into slavery to either wealthy Arabs in the north, or wealthy Hausa merchants in Nigeria for a sum considerably larger than the normal dowry they would bring if they married within their own social class.<BR/><BR/>Technically from both a religious and legal perspective, they are not slaves. They are the fourth wife of a wealthy man. However, in practice they are economic and sex slaves. They have to serve the other wives by cooking and cleaning , and do the sexual bidding of the husband. After five years or so they are no longer appealing, so he divorces them and sends them back to their father in Niger. Usually deeply traumatized.<BR/><BR/>The fact that the many poor people of the other four classes, though they remain poor would never consider selling their daughters into this kind of slavery reinforces in the minds of Nigeriens and Malians that it is the nature of an Iklan to be a slave.<BR/><BR/>In fact all it shows is that deep seated socio-economic patterns sanctioned by religion are very hard to change in the legal arena.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31324076.post-5118568280130200562007-09-01T18:21:00.000-04:002007-09-01T18:21:00.000-04:00Mauritania has a similar problem of slavery b/w Ar...Mauritania has a similar problem of slavery b/w Arabs and Blacks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com