Op-Ed

Slavery Thrives in Some Countries

Published

11 years ago

June 8, 2015

By Lekan Oguntoyinbo
NNPA Columnist

A couple of weeks ago, law enforcement officials in Mauritania arrested nine people for doing something the government considers radical: protesting slavery.

In 1980, Mauritania became the last nation in the world to legally abolish slavery, an institution that that had existed in the poor, landlocked Islamic West African country of fewer than 4 million people in the middle of the Sahara for more than 700 years.

The operative word here is “legally.” More than 30 years later, the enslavement of Blacks by the ruling Arab Berber class stubbornly persists. It is estimated that about 4 percent of Mauritania’s population, or about 140,000 people, are enslaved.

Over the years, the government has passed a couple of additional anti-slavery acts, but they are rarely enforced. For the most part, the government has taken a see-no-evil approach. Senior government officials often deny that the practice still exists – despite glaring evidence to the contrary.

But in recent months, Amnesty International and other human rights groups say the Mauritanian government appears to have maintained a campaign against the nation’s nascent anti-slavery movement.

The activists arrested recently included Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid, president of Mauritania’s Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA) and runner-up in June’s presidential election. Abeid and the other activists had applied for permits to hold anti-slavery rallies and had been denied. Since their arrest, they have been beaten repeatedly, according to press reports and human rights groups. Shortly after their arrests, police officers also closed the IRA’s headquarters in the Mauritian capital Nouakchott and arrested the organization’s spokesperson.

In October, four IRA members were arrested in the biggest mosque in Nouakchott while responding to criticisms made against their organization. They were charged with disturbing prayers and incitement to revolt. They remain in detention and have not been tried.

“Anti-slavery activists are subject to never ending harassment and intimidation in Mauritania. Their actions are either prohibited or severely repressed and they are frequently arrested. This general clamp down must stop as it is a clear violation of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association,” Gaëtan Mootoo, Amnesty International West Africa Researcher, said in a statement.

The government’s campaign against the abolitionists coincides with the recent release of a report by the Global Slavery Index, which is produced by the Walk Free Foundation, an Australian-based organization dedicated to ending modern day slavery. The index says approximately 36 million people are enslaved in scores of countries around the world. These modern-slaves are forced against their will to do things such as picking cotton or growing cannabis and working as prostitutes. The report, which covers 167 countries, estimates that modern day slavery results in the production of more than 100 goods from nearly 60 countries. The International Labor Organization says profits from this forced labor hover at around $150 billion each year.

Several countries were singled out for having particularly bad records, including Qatar, a wealthy Middle Eastern kingdom that has a reputation for luring African and Asian immigrants with the promise of good jobs and then exploiting them; India, where approximately 15 million people are said to be enslaved; and Uzbekistan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia where the government forces more than 1 million people to harvest cotton each year. Other countries cited as having a high prevalence of modern slavery include Haiti, Pakistan, the Central African Republic, Syria, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

But Mauritania, where the practice is so deeply entrenched and kept alive by tradition, was cited as the most notorious offender. The report notes that Black African women are particularly vulnerable to the practice. It is not uncommon for several generations of women from one family to serve one Arab Berber family over decades or centuries. Arab Berbers began settling in the country in the 11^th century, overran it and have largely ruled it since then. They control the government, the military and other essential aspects of life in the country.

Most of the enslaved are beaten and treated as if they were chattel. Many of the women are raped and impregnated by their slave masters.

The practice persists in this 21^st century high tech world in part because of teachings of religious leaders in Mauritania that the Koran approves of slavery (sounds familiar?) and also because many of the slaves and their descendants have been conditioned to believe that there is no life outside of slavery for people who look like them.

In recent years, slavery in Mauritania has received some attention from several leading news outlets, including CNN, the New Yorker magazine, the Guardian and the New York Times, as well as the United Nations and anti-slavery groups. But the attention has not resulted in the kind of worldwide activist fervor that we saw in the fight against apartheid in South Africa, White minority rule in Rhodesia or in the battle against the enslavement and slaughter of Black Christians and animists in Sudan.

It will take that same kind of fervor to end this inhumane practice in the one place in the world where de facto slavery of Blacks still thrives.

Lekan Oguntoyinbo, a columnist for the L.A. Wave, is a national award-winning journalist. Follow him on Twitter @oguntoyinbo. Email him at oguntoyinbo@gmail.com.

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Advice

Rising Optimism Among Small And Middle Market Business Leaders Suggests Growth for California

“Business leaders across the Pacific region continue to demonstrate a unique blend of resilience and forward-thinking, even in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty,” said Brennon Crist, Managing Director and Head of the Pacific Segment, Commercial Banking, J.P. Morgan. “Their commitment to innovation and growth is evident in the way they adapt to challenges and seize new opportunities. It’s this spirit that keeps our region at the forefront of business leadership and progress. We look forward to helping our clients navigate all that’s ahead in 2026.”

Published

2 weeks ago

February 14, 2026

Oakland Post

Super Scout / E+ with Getty Images.

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

Business optimism is returning for small and midsize business leaders at the start of 2026, fueling confidence and growth plans.

The 2026 Business Leaders Outlook survey, released in January by JPMorganChase reveals a turnaround from last June, when economic headwinds and uncertainty about shifting policies and tariffs caused some leaders to put their business plans on hold.

Midsize companies, who often find themselves more exposed to geopolitical shifts and policy changes, experienced a significant dip in business and economic confidence in June of 2025. As they have become more comfortable with the complexities of today’s environment, we are seeing optimism rebounding in the middle market nationwide – an encouraging sign for growth, hiring, and innovation. Small businesses, meanwhile, maintained steady optimism throughout 2025, but they aren’t shielded from domestic concerns. Many cited inflation and wage pressures as the top challenges for 2026 and are taking steps to ensure their businesses are prepared for what’s ahead.

Overall, both small and midsize business leaders are feeling more confident to pursue growth opportunities, embrace emerging technologies and, in some cases, forge new strategic partnerships. That bodes well for entrepreneurs in California. Here are a few other key findings from the Business Leaders Outlook about trends expected to drive activity this year:

Inflation remains the top concern for small business owners. Following the 2024 U.S. presidential election, many anticipated a favorable business environment. By June 2025, however, that feeling shifted amid concerns about political dynamics, tariffs, evolving regulations and global economic headwinds.
Going into 2026, 37% of respondents cited inflation as their top concern. Rising taxes came in second at 27% and the impact of tariffs was third at 22%. Other concerns included managing cash flow, hiring and labor costs.

For middle market leaders, uncertainty remains an issue. Almost half (49%) of all midsize business leaders surveyed cited “economic uncertainty” as their top concern – even with an improved outlook from a few months ago. Revenue and sales growth was second at 33%, while tariffs and labor both were third at 31%.
And tariffs are impacting businesses costs. Sixty-one percent of midsize business leaders said tariffs have had a negative impact on the cost of doing business.
Despite challenges, leaders are bullish on their own enterprises. Though the overall outlook is mixed, 74% of small business owners and 71% of middle market companies are optimistic about their company’s prospects for 2026.
Adaption is the theme. For small business owners surveyed across the U.S., responding to continuing pressures is important in 2026. Building cash reserves (47%), renegotiating supplier terms (36%) and ramping up investments in marketing and technology are among the top priorities.
Big plans are on the horizon. A majority midsized company leaders expect revenue growth this year, and nearly three out of five of (58%) plan to introduce new products or services in the coming year, while 53% look to expand into new domestic and/or international markets. Forty-nine percentsay they’re pursuing strategic partnerships or investments.

The bottom line

Rebounding optimism among U.S. business leaders at the start of the year is setting the stage for an active 2026. With business leaders looking to implement ambitious growth plans that position themselves for the future, momentum in California could be beneficial for leaders looking to launch, grow or scale their business this year.

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#NNPA BlackPress

COMMENTARY: The National Protest Must Be Accompanied with Our Votes

Just as Trump is gathering election data like having the FBI take all the election data in Georgia from the 2020 election, so must we organize in preparation for the coming primary season to have the right people on ballots in each Republican district, so that we can regain control of the House of Representatives and by doing so, restore the separation of powers and balance that our democracy is being deprived of.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper. File photo..

By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper

As thousands of Americans march every week in cities across this great nation, it must be remembered that the protest without the vote is of no concern to Donald Trump and his administration.

In every city, there is a personal connection to the U.S. Congress. In too many cases, the member of Congress representing the people of that city and the congressional district in which it sits, is a Republican. It is the Republicans who are giving silent support to the destructive actions of those persons like the U.S. Attorney General, the Director of Homeland Security, and the National Intelligence Director, who are carrying out the revenge campaign of the President rather than upholding the oath of office each of them took “to Defend The Constitution of the United States.”

In California, the primary comes in June 2026. The congressional races must be a priority just as much as the local election of people has been so important in keeping ICE from acquiring facilities to build more prisons around the country.

“We the People” are winning this battle, even though it might not look like it. Each of us must get involved now, right where we are.

In this Black History month, it is important to remember that all we have accomplished in this nation has been “in spite of” and not “because of.” Frederick Douglas said, “Power concedes nothing without a struggle.”

Today, the struggle is to maintain our very institutions and history. Our strength in this struggle rests in our “collectiveness.” Our newspapers and journalists are at the greatest risk. We must not personally add to the attack by ignoring those who have been our very foundation, our Black press.

Are you spending your dollars this Black History Month with those who salute and honor contributions by supporting those who tell our stories? Remember that silence is the same as consent and support for the opposition. Where do you stand and where will your dollars go?

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Activism

Post Newspaper Invites NNPA to Join Nationwide Probate Reform Initiative

The Post’s Probate Reform Group meets the first Thursday of every month via Zoom and invites the public to attend. The Post is making the initiative national and will submit information from its monthly meeting to the NNPA to educate, advocate, and inform its readers.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) represents the Black press with over 200 newspapers nationwide.

Last night the Post announced that it is actively recruiting the Black press to inform the public that there is a probate “five-alarm fire” occurring in Black communities and invited every Black newspaper starting from the Birmingham Times in Alabama to the Milwaukee Times Weekly in Wisconsin, to join the Post in our “Year of Action” for probate reform.

Reporter Tanya Dennis says, “The adage that ‘When America catches a cold, Black folks catch the flu” is too true in practice; that’s why we’re engaging the Black Press to not only warn, but educate the Black community regarding the criminal actions we see in probate court: Thousands are losing generational wealth to strangers. It’s a travesty that happens daily.”

Venus Gist, a co-host of the reform group, states, “ Unfortunately, people are their own worst enemy when it comes to speaking with loved ones regarding their demise. It’s an uncomfortable subject that most avoid, but they do so at their peril. The courts rely on dissention between family members, so I encourage not only a will and trust [be created] but also videotape the reading of your documents so you can show you’re of sound mind.”

In better times, drafting a will was enough; then a trust was an added requirement to ‘iron-clad’ documents and to assure easy transference of wealth.

No longer.

As the courts became underfunded in the last 20 years, predatory behavior emerged to the extent that criminality is now occurring at alarming rates with no oversight, with courts isolating the conserved, and, I’ve heard, many times killing conservatees for profit. Plundering the assets of estates until beneficiaries are penniless is also common.”

Post Newspaper Publisher Paul Cobb says, “The simple solution is to avoid probate at all costs. If beneficiaries can’t agree, hire a private mediator and attorney to work things out. The moment you walk into court, you are vulnerable to the whims of the court. Your will and trust mean nothing.”

Zakiya Jendayi, a co-host of the Probate Reform Group and a victim herself, says, “In my case, the will and trust were clear that I am the beneficiary of the estate, but the opposing attorney said I used undue influence to make myself beneficiary. He said that without proof, and the judge upheld the attorney’s baseless assertion. In court, the will and trust is easily discounted.”

The Black press reaches out to 47 million Black Americans with one voice. The power of the press has never been so important as it is now in this national movement to save Black generational wealth from predatory attorneys, guardians and judges.

The next probate reform meeting is on March 5, from 7 – 9 p.m. PST. Zoom Details:
Meeting ID: 825 0367 1750
Passcode: 475480

All are welcome.