Slavery in Niger – Battling Against The Odds
Assibit was a slave in Niger for 50 years. She was born a slave, her mother was a slave, as were her husband and children. She had to work all day from early in the morning, preparing food for the master and his family, milking camels and doing all household chores, including moving their tent. This is heavy work, the tent alone can be made up of around 200 goat skins and has to be moved four times a day to ensure that the master and his family are always shaded from the strong sun.
On 28 June 2004, she escaped, walking 30 kilometres to freedom. “We were never paid, I was only given one tenth of the camel milk and leftovers. I have never known happiness until this month of freedom. Now I can go to bed when I want, no one insults me. Now that I am free, I can live as I please.”
Slavery has a long history in Niger. People today are born into a slave class and are forced to work without pay throughout their lives. They are used as herders, agricultural labourers and as domestic servants; everything that a household needs to have done is done by slaves, the master and his family do no labour, they do not even lift a cup.
Regardless of their age, slaves are under a master’s total control. They are not allowed to make any decisions for themselves, whether it is deciding when to eat and sleep or whom they marry. In many cases, families are not even allowed to stay together. The children of slaves are removed from their mothers when they are as young as two years old, and are given to other masters.
Despite its prevalence, the true scale of slavery in Niger only became clear last year, following joint research that Anti-Slavery International carried out with the local organisation Timidria. In conducting the first national survey of this abuse, over 11,000 people were interviewed, most of whom were identified as slaves. The research establishes that at least 43,000 people are in slavery across the country. Many of those interviewed were subjected to torture and other forms of humiliating and degrading treatment, including rape, physical abuse and threats.
Altena, who was in slavery for 53 years, explains that “slaves are not shackled, they are tied to the master psychologically.” One of the means that a slave owner uses is the belief that the master is god, and that slaves may only enter paradise on his or her word.
But in spite of this, slaves have managed to escape. Altena said she “had had enough. So I folded my tent and went to the master and told him I had finished with slavery”.
After escaping Altena, like Assibit, found help. Timidria’s local office in Abalak, in central Niger, is helping her to rebuild her life as a free person.
Timidria has local branches throughout the country staffed by volunteers. Despite having few resources of its own, the organisation provides food, shelter and the means for former slaves to have some economic independence. It helps them integrate in communities and provides income-generating activities as well as raising awareness of slavery.
Niger is one of the world’s poorest countries and there is often little real alternative for slaves than to remain completely dependent on their master. Timidria’s projects address this. It gives farming equipment or animals to former slaves. And has set up women’s groups which run micro-credit schemes showing women who have fled slavery that there are alternatives.
Slavery is a taboo subject in Niger with supporters both within the state apparatus and among traditional chiefs. Even other human rights organisations in the country have been silent on it. Timidria’s president, Ilguilas Weila, and staff have faced a continual struggle in their work against slavery, including being threatened, intimidated and attacked.
The fact that Timidria’s lobbying and campaigning have borne fruit is a sign of their resilience. Following last year’s publication of Timidria’s national survey on slavery, the Government introduced a law that defines, prohibits and punishes slavery.
Anti-Slavery International is awarding Timidria for its courageous efforts and its work to make sure that the law is properly implemented and that the victims of slavery are given the help they need to rebuild their lives as equal citizens of Niger.
Timidria’s president, Ilguilas Weila, will receive the Anti-Slavery Award on behalf of the organisation at a ceremony in London where internationally renowned Sierra Leonean filmmaker, Sorious Samura will present the Award.
The ceremony will be held on
Wednesday 3 November 2003, 7.00pm at
Chatham House
10 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4LE
England
If you would like to attend please contact Sarah Williams
on +44 (0)20 7501 8933 or email s.williams@antislavery.org
Guests are welcome.
Anti-Slavery International http://www.antislavery.org
Please continue for a photo of Timidria Presodent, Ilguilas Weila ...
Assibit was a slave in Niger for 50 years. She was born a slave, her mother was a slave, as were her husband and children. She had to work all day from early in the morning, preparing food for the master and his family, milking camels and doing all household chores, including moving their tent. This is heavy work, the tent alone can be made up of around 200 goat skins and has to be moved four times a day to ensure that the master and his family are always shaded from the strong sun.
On 28 June 2004, she escaped, walking 30 kilometres to freedom. “We were never paid, I was only given one tenth of the camel milk and leftovers. I have never known happiness until this month of freedom. Now I can go to bed when I want, no one insults me. Now that I am free, I can live as I please.”
Slavery has a long history in Niger. People today are born into a slave class and are forced to work without pay throughout their lives. They are used as herders, agricultural labourers and as domestic servants; everything that a household needs to have done is done by slaves, the master and his family do no labour, they do not even lift a cup.
Regardless of their age, slaves are under a master’s total control. They are not allowed to make any decisions for themselves, whether it is deciding when to eat and sleep or whom they marry. In many cases, families are not even allowed to stay together. The children of slaves are removed from their mothers when they are as young as two years old, and are given to other masters.
Despite its prevalence, the true scale of slavery in Niger only became clear last year, following joint research that Anti-Slavery International carried out with the local organisation Timidria. In conducting the first national survey of this abuse, over 11,000 people were interviewed, most of whom were identified as slaves. The research establishes that at least 43,000 people are in slavery across the country. Many of those interviewed were subjected to torture and other forms of humiliating and degrading treatment, including rape, physical abuse and threats.
Altena, who was in slavery for 53 years, explains that “slaves are not shackled, they are tied to the master psychologically.” One of the means that a slave owner uses is the belief that the master is god, and that slaves may only enter paradise on his or her word.
But in spite of this, slaves have managed to escape. Altena said she “had had enough. So I folded my tent and went to the master and told him I had finished with slavery”.
After escaping Altena, like Assibit, found help. Timidria’s local office in Abalak, in central Niger, is helping her to rebuild her life as a free person.
Timidria has local branches throughout the country staffed by volunteers. Despite having few resources of its own, the organisation provides food, shelter and the means for former slaves to have some economic independence. It helps them integrate in communities and provides income-generating activities as well as raising awareness of slavery.
Niger is one of the world’s poorest countries and there is often little real alternative for slaves than to remain completely dependent on their master. Timidria’s projects address this. It gives farming equipment or animals to former slaves. And has set up women’s groups which run micro-credit schemes showing women who have fled slavery that there are alternatives.
Slavery is a taboo subject in Niger with supporters both within the state apparatus and among traditional chiefs. Even other human rights organisations in the country have been silent on it. Timidria’s president, Ilguilas Weila, and staff have faced a continual struggle in their work against slavery, including being threatened, intimidated and attacked.
The fact that Timidria’s lobbying and campaigning have borne fruit is a sign of their resilience. Following last year’s publication of Timidria’s national survey on slavery, the Government introduced a law that defines, prohibits and punishes slavery.
Anti-Slavery International is awarding Timidria for its courageous efforts and its work to make sure that the law is properly implemented and that the victims of slavery are given the help they need to rebuild their lives as equal citizens of Niger.
Timidria’s president, Ilguilas Weila, will receive the Anti-Slavery Award on behalf of the organisation at a ceremony in London where internationally renowned Sierra Leonean filmmaker, Sorious Samura will present the Award.
The ceremony will be held on
Wednesday 3 November 2003, 7.00pm at
Chatham House
10 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4LE
England
If you would like to attend please contact Sarah Williams
on +44 (0)20 7501 8933 or email s.williams@antislavery.org
Guests are welcome.
Anti-Slavery International http://www.antislavery.org
Please continue for a photo of Timidria Presodent, Ilguilas Weila ...