Injustice can be perpetrated in various forms. Sometimes it is blatant whereas sometime sit is more subtle. Sometimes it is systemic whereas sometimes it is down to individuals and singular events.
Throughout human history, many of these forms have existed, disappeared and even reappeared. One such persistent and hideous form is slavery.
Slavery is often misunderstood to only mean the domination of colored races by the white colonials. However, it is much more widespread, diverse and complex.
Slavery germinates where ever there is inequality or differentiation of levels in terms of status and opportunities. Different humans occupy different positions in a society and it results in different powers and access to resources. Therefore, in many forms, slavery is even more widespread today than in medieval times.
Officially slavery was abolished two centuries ago, but the pain is still fresh and the memories are still loud. Often slavery is restricted to one or the other forms of racism dating back to American independence and civil wars.
The impact such atrocities as exacted by the colonials whites on the indigenous black people exists even today and in a post-apartheid world. It manifested in the form of the slave trade and led to horror stories of torture, domination, and violence.
In modern times, the demons of human trafficking, sex trade, climate migration, ethnic killings, religious intolerance, manual scavenging, etc are also a manifestation of slavery.
It may not necessarily be easily seen or identified but it still survives and destroys our endeavor to establish a just society based on trust, equality and mutual benefits.
There are still custodial killings of black people in America, torture of Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar, abduction of women and children across the Mexican border or use of women in impoverished Eastern Europe for flesh trade, etc.
There is still a gulf between the moneyed and the penniless, famous and the forgotten, the first world and the rest of it.
Until such walls of division and difference are demolished, we cannot expect slavery to die its natural death. We must learn and accept our uniqueness and try to find the ground for equality and familiarity.
The need of the hour is not only education through theory but also sensitization through practice. This calls for better and meaningful dialogues between the victims of such abuse and the ones who are supposed to provide security against such abuse.
This impacts every citizen of the world irrespective of age, color, faith or gender. We must unite against slavery and end it for once and for all.
