RED SEA SLAVE TRADE

Shannon News, 3 August 1926, Page 3

RED SEA SLAVE TRADE

ON OfillOßß. INQUIRY BY LEAGUE. In spite of the unceasing war on the slave trade in the regions bordering the Red Sea, this crime against humanity is reported to be once again rampant there. There ar two sources of this traffic in human beings. Men, women and children are seized by slave dealers in the remoter parts of the Sudan near Abyssinia, and in ditricts of Abyssinia as well. They are smuggled down to the Red Sea coast and shipped across to Arabia.

The dhows in which they are shipped are protected on both sides of the Red Sdh by reefs and shoals which make it difficult for gunboats or other naval craft to follow and capture them. The open-sea part of the journey can easily be coverd during the hours of darkness. Those slaves taken across are sold mainly in the Hedjaz, where slavery has for a long time existed quite openly, especially during the reign of King Hussein, who supported it as being sanctioned by the Koran. The other source of the traffic In slaves is the Hedjaz, where pilgrims to the Holy Places are often fallen upon, captured and sold. According to a recently-published White Paper, in which details of this trade are given, the Governor-General of the Sudan, Sir Godfrey Archer, has, as the result of a general inquiry by the League of Nations, tasen up the question, and .has appointed Mr. C. A. Willis, head of the Intelligence Department in the Sudan to act as Special Slavery Commissioner. Mr. Willis is to “obtain all information possible as to the numbers and conditions of slaves, domestic or otherwise, in the Sudan,” and to “put forward recommendations likely to accelerate the rapid disappearance of slavery in the Sudan.” He will also visit the IJedjaz to examine "the conditions under which pilgrims visilt the Holy Places'.”

It is suggested that a centre be established in the Red Sea Province for the accommodation of freed slaves pending their disposal by absorption, repatriation or otherwise. The White Paper states that slavery was entirely suppressed in 1921 in the Sudan as the result of the labours of a special department which had been at work since 1898.