Human trafficking and slavery aren’t just film tropes and relics of America’s past. In fact, slavery is still prevalent across the globe even now. Many countries, particularly underdeveloped ones, still actively engage in the slave trade, and the stories are horrific. The vast majority are Christians, and converts in some African nations are regularly persecuted and killed for their religious beliefs.
Recently, an organization fighting against Christian persecution worldwide announced it had helped free 1500 Sudanese slaves in the past year, bringing the total for the last three decades to well over 100,000. The organization, Christian Solidarity International, talked about how dangerous it is for Christians and indigenous religions in South Sudan.
Joel Veldkamp, head of international communications at Christian Solidarity International, talked about the reasons for the slave raids and gave a short explanation of the history of the region. He said: “Today, we have two countries — Sudan and South Sudan. But in the 1980s and 1990s, it was all just one country called Sudan, and that country was split by a civil war between the north, which is mostly Muslim and dominated by Arabs, and the south, which is mostly Christian and black African.”
Veldkamp explained that Muslims to the north used slavery as a “weapon of war,” capturing and enslaving thousands of people during the civil war, which ended in 2005. However, the end of the war didn’t end the human suffering and slave trade, and almost 20 years later, many are still in captivity.
Veldkamp continued: “The nightmare really [began] when the abduction happened during the war. These were usually attacks on villages by raiders on horseback or on camels; sometimes, they came in trains and they would force people into a cargo train and take them back into the north.” He further explained, “You would see lots of people being killed, lots of people being brutalized, trying to break down the spirit of the people before they’re enslaved.”
Through an underground railroad-type network created years ago, the organization continues working to free those still enslaved. It isn’t just slavery, however. There are reports of rampant sex abuse, and most slaves aren’t allowed to practice their religion for fear of punishment or death. Veldkamp reported, “A lot of the boys, especially, are forced to convert to Islam and practice Islam.” He continued, “You would see lots of people being killed, lots of people being brutalized, trying to break down the spirit of the people before they’re enslaved.”
With the help of sympathetic Muslims and goat traders, as well as some bartering with livestock medicines needed by the Muslim goat herders, swaps have been made, freeing many from the bondage they have been suffering for years. Veldkamp talked about what the organization provides to newly freed slaves in South Sudan. He continued, “We give them what we call a survival kit that has farming tools, and a tarp, and other essentials inside. And we give every person who comes out a female goat so that they can have some food or maybe make some milk.”
CSI funds much of the locally-run effort, buying livestock medicines and providing the resources for newly liberated slaves. It is unreal that this sort of thing is still happening in 2024, but it is also a reminder that, despite its flaws, America is the greatest, most free country in the world. Many folks here would do well to learn more about Christian Solidarity International and God’s work that they are doing on behalf of those without a voice.
Featured image screenshot from embedded video
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