American Anti-Slavery Group

The American Anti-Slavery Group (AASG) is a non profit coalition of abolitionist organizations that engages in political activism to abolish slavery in the world today. It raises awareness of contemporary slavery, particularly among the chattel slaves of Mauritania and Sudan, raises funds to support relief and aid to enslaved populations and escaped former slaves, and lobbies government officials to forward their efforts. AASG'^[1]

The AASG was co-founded in 1994 by Charles Jacobs (who served as its first research director) with African human rights activists Mohamed Athie of Mauritania and David Chand of Sudan.^[2]

Incorporated in Newton, Massachusetts, the AASG reports having "many associates and 30,000 members around the world."^[3] Recent officers include: Mohamed Athie (past president) and Charles Jacobs (past clerk and treasurer; current president and member of board of directors).^[4]

The AASG maintains close ties to The Sudan Campaign, for which Charles Jacobs serves as a co-chairman.

Central components

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There are "four components" central to the AASG elaborated on iAbolish:

• Awareness

"The first step in eradicating modern slavery is educating the public that it still exists. At AASG we build awareness through our publications, school curricula, conferences, and Speakers’ Bureau — consisting mainly of survivors of slavery."

• Advocacy

"We advocate for the freedom of those degraded by slavery through government lobbying and online campaigns, which locate effective pressure points in corporations that benefit from slavery, governments that tolerate human bondage, and leaders who remain silent."

• Activism

"Through our website, we have established a diverse network of activists around the world who are passionate about freedom. Our grassroots activism takes the form of rallies, candlelight vigils, freedom marches, petitions and letter-writing campaigns."

• Aid

"We partner with organizations working on the ground to provide essential rehabilitation and support to victims of slavery. By providing food, shelter, education, and rehabilitation, AASG equips survivors with the tools they need to rebuild their lives."

Modern Day Slavery

The AASG claims instances of slavery still exist today, specifically in Africa. Their charges have been met by criticism especially from noted BBC journalist David Hecht who reported from Africa in the late 1990s and was one of the AASG's biggest critics accusing them have promoting disinformation.^[5]

Politics

On June 4, 2008 the U.S. released a trafficking in persons report. In this report Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated, "Trafficking and exploitation plague all nations, and no country, even ours, is immune."

Slavery in Sudan

The AASG claimed slavery was rampant in Sudan, there claims were challenged by BBC correspondent David Hecht an African specialist and many others who reported, "Yes, there is a slave (and master) mentality in Africa, but nothing like the dehumanized institutions that Frederick Douglass had to fight in America." He also reported that Western media are often naive misunderstandings of the facts. Claiming that outside those areas controlled by the Sudanese Government, the old practice of inter-tribal feuding continues. In these raids prisoners are taken, who must then be ransomed. What looks like the purchase of slaves is actually the redemption of prisoners of war.^[6]

Anti-Slavery International has also stated that, 'The charge that government troops engage in raids for the purpose of seizing slaves in not backed by the evidence.' (Sudan Update and Anti-Slavery International, London, 1997, p. 20)^[7]

How AASG Helps

The AASG claims they raise awareness about supposed instances of slavery in the modern world.

Controversy of Redemption Program

The AASG supported program of arrangement of payment to human traffickers for the "freedom" of slaves has come under fire. Aid workers, missionaries, and even the rebel movement that facilitates the redemption of slaves in the Sudan claim it is often an elaborate scam or a "corrupt racket." ^[8] Groups, including the Sudan Embassy, Canada, state that the practice of paying the rebels prolongs the war,^[9] while others claim it brought the "perverse incentives" of slavery in many areas.^[10][11] Manase Lomole Waya, who runs Humanitarian Assistance for South Sudan, a group based in Nairobi, praises AASG for its effort, but brings a warning: "We welcome them for exposing the agony of our people to the world," he said. "That part is good. But giving the money to the slave traders only encourages the trade. It is wrong and must stop. Where does the money go? It goes to the raiders to buy more guns, raid more villages, put more shillings in their pockets. It is a vicious circle."

Charles Jacobs, president of the American Anti-Slavery Group, concedes there is an increase in slave-taking since 1995 in terms of the growing intensity of the Sudanese war, but rebukes characterizations that it creates a market for the slave trade. He asserts that although war is the context for the slave trade, it cannot be the main cause. Thus, the transactions to free slaves do not contribute to the cycle of violence in the Sudan.^[12]

See also

• Human Trafficking

Notes

1. ^ "About the American Anti-Slavery Group," online posting, iAbolish.org, n.d., accessed July 25, 2006. Cf. "African Slavery 1996," by Joseph R. Gregory, online posting, First Things 63 (May 1996): 37-39, accessed July 25, 2006. See also "The Great Slave Scam," online posting, Embassy of the Republic of The Sudan news archive, Washington, D.C., 23 Feb. 2002, accessed July 27, 2006. NB: The American Anti-Slavery Group should not be confused with the American Anti-Slavery Society (1833-1870).
2. ^ AASG Profile, online posting, ArriveNet [2004], accessed July 28, 2006. [Some of the website links are outdated.]
3. ^ "About the American Anti-Slavery Group," online posting, iAbolish, n.d., accessed August 23, 2006.
4. ^ Non-profit corporation "Summary Sheet" for American Anti-Slavery Group, Inc., online posting, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Corporations Division 2001-2006, accessed July 27, 2006; "Who We Are," online posting, iAbolish, n.d. (copyright 2006), accessed July 27, 2006.
5. ^ http://www.twf.org/News/Y1998/SlaveryAfrica.html
6. ^ David Hecht, "Virtual Slavery", The New Republic, 12 May 1997
7. ^ David Hecht, "Virtual Slavery", The New Republic, 12 May 1997
8. ^ http://www.news24.com/xArchive/Archive/Sudans-great-slave-scam-20020227-2
9. ^ http://www.sudanca.com/press/Release/1999/January13.html
10. ^ http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/99jul/9907sudanslaves2.htm
11. ^ "Ripping Off Slave 'Redeemers': Rebels Exploit Westerners' Efforts to Buy Emancipation for Sudanese", The Washington Post, 26 February 2002
12. ^ http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/99jul/9907sudanslaves2.htm

External links

• American Anti-Slavery Group Profile at ArriveNet. [Some of the website links are outdated.]
• iAbolish — Web Portal of the American Anti-Slavery Group
• Freeing Modern-Day Slaves: Program 15 Interview with Charles Jacobs, produced by Human Media [catalog entry].
• The Sudan Campaign