Help Free Ilguilas Weila, Anti-slavery Activist!

[Kire]

Dear Friend,

Free the Slaves' UK-based sister organization, Anti-Slavery International, recently sent us some disturbing news: Ilguilas Weila, a prominent anti-slavery activist, has been arrested under false pretences in Niger along with five others. We need your help to compel the government of Niger to free Ilguilas and the five others who are behind bars with him.

Please send this sample fax now to the President and the Prime Minister of Niger, to ask them to release Ilguilas Weila and the other activists, and to take measures to recognize and combat slavery in Niger.

What we know so far:

In March the Niger Government was going to hold a ceremony to mark the end of slavery throughout the country--some 7,000 people were to be released in one region of Niger.

However, that release did not go ahead as planned. The ceremony was held. Slavery was declared a criminal offence. Then things got strange. Authorities warned slave masters not to release their slaves officially. If they did, they were told they would face up to 30 years in prison.

It got worse. The Government of Niger arrested the country's leading anti-slavery activist, Ilguilas Weila.

On 28 April, Ilguilas Weila, president of Niger's pioneering anti-slavery organization Timidria, and five other people were arrested. They remain under arbitrary detention, accused of "propagating false information on slavery and attempting to raise funds illegally."

Timidria "categorically denies the false charges" brought against Ilguilas Weila and believes this is part of a concerted campaign of harassment by the authorities to muzzle the organization.

At least 43,000 people are in slavery across Niger. They are born into an established slave class and are forced to carry out all labor required by their masters without pay, including herding, cleaning, and moving their master's tent to ensure he and his family are always in the shade. Slaves are inherited, given as gifts, and babies may be taken away from their mothers once weaned. They are denied all rights.

In May 2004 a new law came into effect making practicing slavery punishable by up to 30 years in prison. The Government's move was in response to the publication of the first national survey of slavery, which was jointly carried out by Timidria and Anti-Slavery International. The report uncovered widespread slavery in Niger. Investigators interview 11,000 people, most of them were slaves.

For more information and background on slavery in Niger and Timidria visit Anti-Slavery International's website.

After taking action, please send us copies of any replies you receive.

Thank you for your continued support of the modern anti-slavery movement.

Sincerely,

Jacob Patton
Director of Outreach and Technology
Free the Slaves

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