Mali slavery Bernd 10/29/2021 (Fri) 19:13:40 No.45415 del
Another detail about Mali.
In the Sahel region hereditary slavery (descent-based or caste-based slavery as they call it) is still alive and kicking. The French abolished the practice of slavery on their colonies, but they were lenient about domestic slavery, and after they left, while most states around enacted laws against the practice, Mali did not.
At certain regions the society is divided by birth to noble and slave caste (the slave status is inherited via the mother), and nobles enjoy full rights and privileges, while slaves have to live among certain restrictions (like can't marry outside their caste, can't own land, they have to prepare meals for the nobles, etc.), they also often get beaten and humiliated publicly. Sometimes they even get murdered.
It's a socially accepted norm by some hundreds of thousands of people, the nobles even say it's voluntarily. Since who doesn't want to be a slave he can move, they don't tied to the land, but I can see how those people who knows nothing father than the border of their village have a hard time to leave everything behind. They even use ostracism, and banishment as a form of punishment!
But many tens of thousands of people are against the practice, and I assume as they raise awareness, the more supporters they get. And the question is raised in international media, and in the UN too.
One thing the question is interesting related to the conflict: the oppressed and discontent masses are easily influenced by radical ideas, and are prime recruiting materials of groups like Al Qaeda.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/29/slavery-is-alive-in-mali-and-continues-to-wreak-havoc-on-lives
https://observers.france24.com/en/20190924-video-malian-man-tied-public-opposing-traditional-slavery