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SLAVE CHILDREN FREED IN GHANA
Deutsche Presse via bloomberg no url | 9/11/3

Posted on 09/11/2003 10:12:41 AM PDT by NativeNewYorker

Accra (dpa) - Some 100 children in Ghana sold into slavery by their parents were freed on Thursday at Yeji, 500 kilometres from Accra, after joint efforts by relief agencies, Ghana's Minister for Children's Affairs Gladya Ashmah said.

The children, between the ages of three and 16 years were freed, after the International Organisation of Migration and Ghana's Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs intervened.

They will be reunited with their parents, most of whom are from the coastal areas of the country.

``They are children who have been bought from coastal areas like Ada and Gomoa'' she said. ``They came to work at Yeji with the consent of their parents.''

She blamed poverty as the cause of the slavery and said the government has through a financing project been helping women to prevent the sale of their children. Some of the children are bought for as little as one million cedis (just a little over 100 dollars).

The children are forced to work for more than 12 hours a day in hazardous conditions. They are made to dive for long periods in the river while setting traps and checking nets.

This sometimes proves fatal and the dead are buried along the banks, without their parents being notified.

They are fed inadequate food and sleep in deplorable conditions. Some of the freed children said they were happy to regain their liberty and would want to go to school or begin learning a trade or vocation.

Ernest Taylor, International Organisation of Migration (IOM) project coordinator, said they have so far traced more than 1,200 children.

The project to free the children started about one year ago under the auspices of the government, the ILO, Catholic Relief Services and a local charity organisation, Apple.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: africa; ghana; kofiannanshome; slavery

1 posted on 09/11/2003 10:12:44 AM PDT by NativeNewYorker
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To: NativeNewYorker
Funny.

And here I thought *WAS TAUGHT by the politically corrupt school system!* that only us Christian, conservative US and British white men were the ones who bought and sold slaves.

Gee.

Who'd of thought child slavery would ever happen in a black, Muslim-led nation in central Africa.

Somebody ought to ping Jessie.

He'll certainly protest. Lead a boycott.
2 posted on 09/11/2003 10:16:42 AM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only support FR by donating monthly, but ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE
Where is Al "The Graft Zeppelin" Sharpton?
3 posted on 09/11/2003 10:23:23 AM PDT by sheik yerbouty
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To: NativeNewYorker
They will be reunited with their parents, most of whom are from the coastal areas of the country.

Boy, what kid wouldn't want to be sent back to the people who sold them into slavery. I wonder if the parents had to return the money? ;P

4 posted on 09/11/2003 10:23:53 AM PDT by Kenton
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To: NativeNewYorker
They will be reunited with their parents...


**
Why? So they can sell them again? Nice parents!
5 posted on 09/11/2003 10:24:45 AM PDT by Bigg Red (Do not wring or twist.)
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To: Bigg Red; Kenton
In the bond market, we call that a repo!
6 posted on 09/11/2003 10:28:50 AM PDT by NativeNewYorker (Freepin' Jew Boy)
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To: NativeNewYorker
Reunited with parents? So the parents will get another sale out of the kiddies. Gee Whiz!!
7 posted on 09/11/2003 10:34:17 AM PDT by cajungirl (no)
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To: Bigg Red
My thoughts exactly. No mention of what measures are being taken to insure that this isn't a revolving door.
8 posted on 09/11/2003 10:35:43 AM PDT by Lee Heggy (Jealousy-The theory that some other fellow has just as little taste.)
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE
Have you seen the new National Geographic? It has a big article on slavery around the world. Article has lots of pictures. Someone already posted info the other day: 21st Century Slaves, "National Geograhpic," September, 2003
9 posted on 09/11/2003 10:48:01 AM PDT by Perseverando
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE
Hmmm... seems to me like someone has either forgotten or simply ignored a few simple facts on slavery. First, the institution is as old as humankind, and was not, until the 17th Century, tied or based on "race" (which genetically and truthfully, is a spruious notion in and of itself). Second, in the context of Modern Slavery, the TRANSATLANTIC slave trade was begun by the Spanish and the Portuguese... only later did the English and the American Colonists get into the business. Third, in the context of American History, the importers of slaves WERE British and American whites.

As for Jesse Jackson, don't bring up that idiot... I can't think of the man without wanting to reach out and strangle someone...


Read more, learn more, change the globe.
10 posted on 09/11/2003 10:52:54 AM PDT by Sundiata ( Free-thinking, middle road, swaying left or right depending on issue American of African descent.)
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To: NativeNewYorker
Some 100 children in Ghana sold into slavery by their parents were freed... they will be reunited with their parents...

Does no one besides me see a problem here?

11 posted on 09/11/2003 11:10:22 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn’t be, in its eyes, a slave.)
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

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