'Lost Boys' -> Sudan's Child Soldiers

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For ‘Lost Boy,’ Vote in Sudan Is Homecoming

 

The election for the indefinite split of Northern and Southern Sudan has brought many people back to their motherland, including refugees and ex-combatants. In particular, there is a group that has been named the, “Lost Boys”. These boys were abducted at the beginning of the war, and thought they would never be heard from again. This article briefly describes the pain of being torn from your family, and also of reintegrating into a society after so many years. 

What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng

 

        This is a book authored by Dave Eggars, written in 2006. It is based off of real life stories from Valentino Achak Deng- a former child soldier in the Sudanese civil war the previous article describes. 

 

 Information from Erica McCauley

EVENT OPPORTUNITY!

Francis Bok, whose autobiography Escape from Slavery: The True Story of My Ten Years in Captivity and My Journey to Freedom in America addresses his enslavement in his native Sudan from age 7-17 and his work in the United States as an abolitionist, will be speaking at Aurora East High School at 7:30 p.m. on February 22nd in that school’s auditorium. Bok works for the American Anti-Slavery Group and Sudan Sunrise, an organization promoting peace in Sudan. He has testified before the United States Senate, conferred with former President George W. Bush, and has received honors from many colleges and universities as well as organizations such as the U.S in  Olympic Committee. Advance sale tickets (cost  $3).  Many tickets will also be available at the door.

 If you would like to attend this event, please contact Erica McCauley at ehmccauley@noctrl.edu

Afghanistan: Child Police Officers

Afghans Plan to Stop Recruiting Children as Police

Afghanistan has finally reached the point where it has received enough United Nations pressure to stop recruiting children as police officers. Afghanistan finally made the decision to take steps towards changing this issue when the United Nations put them on their “blacklist” of countries that use child soldiers. However, in Afghanistan, the children recruited to the police force are used more than just child soldiers: they are used as sex slaves for the male officers. Read more about the issue, by clicking the link above. 

 

Post by senior Erica McCauley

Also, watch this video about the Bacha Bazi. Bacha Bazi are Dancing Boys in Afghanistan. They are then used for sex. This is a flourishing organized sex trade in Afghanistan.

Informative Article on Human Slavery

Check out this highly informative essay from David Batstone entitled 'From Sex Workers to Restaurant Workers, the Global Slave Trade Is Growing.' This article provides a thorough examination of the realities of human slavery in the world today. Prepare to be hit by statistic after statistic of horrific reality. We have to keep fighting. We cannot allow the world to continue to look like this article describes. Batstone is an author/employee with Sojourners. Sojourners is a Christian organization actively fighting for social justice.

How can YOU end Child Slavery?

After viewing the film 'The Dark Side of Chocolate,' we now know the terrible realities of CHILD SLAVERY involved with chocolate production. Hundreds to thousands of children are smuggled into Cote D'Ivoire and Ghana every year to work as slaves in cocoa-bean fields. And what do the major chocolate companies in the world do about this? Nothing.

This Valentine's day, do not show your loved ones you care by purchasing chocolate that comes from Child slaves. This includes Hershey, Nestle, and all the other major chocolate companies. Look for fair trade chocolate. It is more expensive, but you can start a consumer pattern that will demand companies change their ways. It will show that we, as consumers, care about the lives of children all across the world.

Our campus chapter of the International Justice Mission would like to provide you with the first step in 'going fair-trade.' Come to Kaufman Friday and Monday from 12-2 and the Cage Saturday from 4-6 and purchase a fair-trade Valentine. If you give us your loved one's mailbox number, we will deliver this wonderful gift to them.
Come show your love for your lover and for children all around the world.

Romania a global center for human trafficking

 

Journalist David Batstone follows sex trafficking throughout Europe starting in Amsterdam (where prostitution is legal). He discovers that most of the women there have come from Eastern European states such as, Romania, Hunagry, or Bulgaria. In this article, Batstone focuses on Romania, and the increase in human trafficking. He relates the increase to the recent join to the European Union, which has allowed Romania’s borders to become more relaxed.

'The Darker Side of Chocolate'

Miki Mistrati with Not for Sale Campaign: ‘The Darker Side of Chocolate.’

The Danish journalist Miki Mistrati heard rumors about a correlation between child forced labor and the cocoa industry. Intrigued, he decided to investigate these claims himself. The realities he discovered were more shocking than he had originally inticipated. His research brought him to Mali, West Africa. What he discovered was the business of trafficking small children into the Ivory Coast to work as slaves for cocoa field industries. The children are as young as seven that are being forced into the fields. They are forced to carry loads heavier than their own weight and cut down the cocoa with extremely sharp devices. Kidnapped, unpaid and forced into dangerous labor, these children’s lives are stolen for our chocolate. 

‘The Darker Side of Chocolate’ is Mistrati’s research made into a documentary. 

The International Justice Mission at North Central College is showing this film Feb. 10 at Mieley Swallow, 7-9. Come see where our chocolate comes from.