Dear Avaaz members around the world,
I was taken from my mother when I was 5. Every day I looked after the herd.
Every night I was raped by my master. I always thought, without understanding, that this was normal.
In Mauritania, where I’m from, hundreds of thousands of people are still held this way today. But I was lucky.
My brother escaped
his masters and found an organization working to stop slavery. He asked
them to help free me. But when they came to take me away, at first I
completely refused. I couldn’t imagine a life away from my masters, a
life where you worked no matter what, even if pregnant or giving birth.
This was the only life I had ever known.
The man who came for me, and
who has dedicated his life to freeing others like me, is Biram Dah Abeid.
He is now behind bars for daring to speak out against slavery. But in
seven days there is a court appeal and he could be released.
If hundreds of thousands of people around the world speak out for him, we can break Biram's chains so he can continue helping others break theirs. Join me now:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/mauritania_antislavery_biram_75b/?bIiqNab&v=63369
The slave-owning elites have
poured on the pressure to keep the status quo, but opinions are starting
to change. And I believe our President can be influenced -- under
intense pressure, he's released political prisoners before, including
Biram himself. Please join me now to free him again.
With thanks and hope,
Haby mint Rabah and the Avaaz team
Note from Avaaz:
Mauritania has the worst slavery problem on the planet. Today,
10-20% of the entire population of Mauritania are slaves. Up to 600,000
people are still slaves -- born into it or sold to masters, abused,
raped and exploited. And like the historic trade, this slavery is racist
-- almost all slaves are African Haratin.
Mauritania was the last country in the world to abolish slavery,
and it only became a crime in Mauritania in 2007. Despite it being
illegal, and Mauritania having an Anti Slavery Act and a roadmap to end
slavery, just one slave master has been successfully prosecuted. And
those that challenge this illegal cruel practice are detained and
tortured.
Biram has fought slavery his whole life -- he’s received prestigious
prizes from the UN and recently ran for president of Mauritania. But the
government has denied the organization he leads any legal recognition,
and now thrown him in jail for two years just for speaking publicly. The
EU, the UN and the US have condemned his arrest, but if they feel
public pressure to act they could move to make Biram’s jailing have a
higher cost.
Now is the moment to create global public pressure --
an appeal for Biram’s release is in seven days.
Let's answer Haby’s call now, demand Biram’s release, and build the
largest 21st century call for abolition by sharing this on Facebook,
Twitter -- everywhere:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/mauritania_antislavery_biram_75b/?bIiqNab&v=63369 
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