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Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don’t have a verifiable source on file yet. Know one?
What happened
Brad Phillips of Persecution Project Foundation says that since the 1980s, the Muslim National Islamic Front government has sanctioned the taking of Christians and animists from the south part of the nation to be sold to Muslims as slaves in the north. The two sides have been engaged in a civil war for several years. In this human trafficking case, the victim was a Sudanese Dinka boy was sold into slavery at age 7 in 1987. His Arab master officially gave him an Arab name, but always referred to him only as “abid”, meaning “black slave.” He served his master for ten years, and was often beaten, tortured and abused. His master considered all blacks, and especially Christians, as lower than animals. The victim was raised Christian and desired to worship God, but his master told him every day that he had no business worshipping, since he was of no more value than a donkey. One Sunday, the victim heard singing coming from a Christian church and was drawn to join in. While he was in worship, some of the camels that he had been charged with escaped. His master flew into a rage and swore to kill him in the same way that Jesus was killed. He beat the victim severely from head to toe, then laid him on a plank and nailed him there, driving spikes through his hands, knees, and feet. He then poured acid on his legs and left him for dead. The victim lay on the plank for seven days, but the master’s son showed him kindness by secretly bringing him food and water and eventually took him to a medical facility. The victim eventually returned to his master, but he saw little value in the now-crippled boy.
Response and intervention
The Khartoum government was the perpetrator of the crime. No charges were brought against the slavemaster because he acted within his rights under Sharia law currently in place in Sudan. More information: www.assistnews.net/STORIES/2004/s04110038.htm The master was willing to sell the boy he had crippled. He was redeemed by Christian slave redeemers. They also arranged for return to his home village, Bahr el Gazal. Christian slave redeemers Upon return to his village, the village elders named the victim “Joseph”, remembering how the Biblical Joseph was sold into slavery and later used mightily by God. Persecution Project Foundation, a group that monitors persecution of Christians in Africa.