travel to Africa has been full of new stories and new revelations. this one was as interesting as they go. Senegal is a beautiful country. Goree island provided the contrast that was shattering.
Interstingly such slave centres existed in various places in africa. We can actually see now persons coming from america trying to find out their roots as to from where they originated.for once when they leave the island they were re christianed with new names and they have no way of knowing where they come from or who their ancestors are.
Interestingly the dutch or portugese never used to catch the slaves on the other hand slaves were bought there by rivaling african tribes. It is said that a man was sold for the cost of gun, a woman for the cost of a wine bottle. Now one of senegal's best education centre for girls functions inside the gore island.
Exactly similar 'House of Slaves' exists in Ghana too. It was used to send 'slaves' from Ghana, Nigeria, and neighbouring countries. The fort was built by the Portugese and later operated by British. It is the same disgusting story of exploitation of the worst kind by Europeans !
Re: SLave Trade
by Roopal Vaish on Oct 10, 2010 10:11 PM
And all this simply because they were born with a different color and followed a different religion than their Christian White masters. For all Jesus' teachings of peace, love and forgiveness, His followers have crossed all limits of barbarism and shamed His memory millions of times.
Would be good, if Rediff writes articles on british migration of Indians to Africa, Fiji, Mauritius and rest of the world so that Indians too will get to known the hidden history to know about their roots and bring awareness among Indians.
William Wilberforce was born on 24 August 1759 in Hull, the son of a wealthy merchant. He studied at Cambridge University where he began a lasting friendship with the future prime minister, William Pitt the Younger. In 1780, Wilberforce became member of parliament for Hull, later representing Yorkshire. His dissolute lifestyle changed completely when he became an evangelical Christian, and in 1784 joined a leading group known as the Clapham Sect. His Christian faith prompted him to become interested in social reform, particularly the improvement of factory conditions in Britain.
The abolitionist Thomas Clarkson had an enormous influence on Wilberforce. He and others were campaigning for an end to the trade in which British ships were carrying black slaves from Africa, in terrible conditions, to the West Indies as goods to be bought and sold. Wilberforce was persuaded to lobby for the abolition of the slave trade and for 18 years he regularly introduced anti-slavery motions in parliament. The campaign was supported by many members of the Clapham Sect and other abolitionists who raised public awareness of their cause with pamphlets, books, rallies and petitions. In 1807, the slave trade was finally abolished, but this did not free those who were already slaves. It was not until 1833 that an act was passed giving freedom to all slaves in the British empire.
Wilberforce's other efforts to 'renew society' included the organisation of the Society for the Suppression of
Re: William Wilberforce
by Praveen Goud on Oct 10, 2010 02:26 AM
Wilberforce, though credited with Abolition of Slaves Act. He was religious monger, hypocrite in deliberately delaying Abolotion of Slaves Act till the end of his life. He, was truly a religious fanatic scared of slave revolution as happened in Haiti.
He, never worried about any improvements for workers in Britain, totally against Unions, mass gathering of people with fear of revolts, he never entertained women rights but was more interested in RELIGION to further slave africans.
This rogue, during East Indian company deliberately exploited Charter Act for his evangelism activities in India. He , though credited in abolition of slaves for time being , succeeded in spreading Religon all across British colonies to enslave people for good.....
Wilberforce and Pitt were heads and tails of same coin to delay the abolition of slavery act as much as they could as Wilberforce was the richest merchant who made great wealth over trading itself.
Wilberforce, instead legalised slavery but his acts improved the living conditions of slaves and ultimately turned into todays immigration laws.
Wilberforce, being rich merchant and had tremendous lobbying influence with British Empire, US, France,he never was in favour of emancipation of slavery but instead tried to contain slave revolution by favouring emancipation of slavery in gradual stages..
His, aim was to contain slave revolts and enslave people for good through religion which he succeeded all over the globe till 2day
