Brutal treatment of both Native and African slaves

Course

nInstitution

nDate

nBrutal treatment of both Native and African slaves

nSlavery is a practice where there are limitations of peoples rights and people are treated as properties. The slave owners benefit from both economic and social gains. Since time immemorial, slave trade has been in existences across the continents in the world. For instance, European traders played a bigger role during the transatlantic slave trade where they transported slaves from Africa to America. Captives suffered from brutal mistreatment, hunger, forced and unpaid labor as well as a gross violation of human rights. The European government laws and regulations allowed for the slave trade in the countries. Slaves were to work on sugar and tea plantations in Europe, Latin America and America. They also worked in mines of gold and diamond.

nHowever, due to the initiatives of human rights crusaders such as Olaudah Equiano and Bartolome’ de Las Casas the British government and Spanish government abolished the slave trades in their countries as well as in their colonies overseas. Olaudah was a slave from Africa who suffered inhumane treatment from his owners in America. However, when he went to England, he formed a civil movement that lobbied the legislature for the abolition of the slave trade. On the other hand, Bartolome was a Spanish who advocated against the native Americans mistreatment by Spanish in Latin American colonies.

nSlave dealers do not believe the rights of the child. As Olaudah explains that, during his early childhood, slave captors sieved him and his sister from his motherland. The slave dealers seized him together with his older sister (Equiano, 12). They also separated him from his family never to see them again. This caused bitter memoirs in his life because he had no chance to enjoy the love of his family. Instead, he suffered under the custody of the slave owners. In addition, slave dealers do not allow the slaves right to free movement. Instead, they chained him heavily in order to control their movement.

nThe aim of the slave owners is to maximize on profits and material gains at the expense of their slaves. Bartolome explains that slave owners in the Spanish colony enjoyed benefits as a result of slave hard work. The slaves worked in harsh working conditions in gold mines and plantations (Casas, 15). The mines posed a real health risk to the slaves. This is because working environment did not have protective working equipment that would protect them from exposure of diseases. Moreover, they worked for a long period without resting.

nThe slaves were living in crowded condition that did not give them enough dignity as human beings. Olaudah explains that slaves lived in a crowded environment that led to death of many people due to suffocation (Equiano, 13). Furthermore, due to poor living conditions, various communicable diseases spread easily from one person to the other (Casas, 18). However, the slave dealers did not take care of the medical care of the slaves. The captives did not receive early medical aid, therefore, many slaves died from communicable diseases.

nThe slave received merciless beatings from their owners and property owner. As Bartolome, argues that the native American Indians were ruthlessly beaten when they failed to obey orders in their work (Casas, 17). This is against the human right because human beings should be guided by the principles of humanity and equality. All human beings should be subjected to same fair treatment. In addition, Olaudah says that he suffered a brutal beating from the dealers when he refused to eat (Equiano, 13). Some slave owners beat their slaves until they maimed or broke their bones for simple mistakes when in slavery.

nBesides, slaves suffered from brutal treatment that led to their death. Some slave owners lynched captives when they disobeyed or resisted their orders. Bartolome further explains that the Spanish soldiers killed the Native Americans without any provocation (Casas, 20). This is inhumane because no human being should suffer from extra-judicial killings. People should respect the right to live and any execution should only be approved by the court of law.

nFurthermore, slaves suffer from forced labor without payment. As Olaudah and Bertolome account, many captives are forced to work in large plantations and mines (Casas, 21). Slaves are also sold like commodities from one person to another. It is against the human dignity and respect to exchange slaves as goods. Slaves should have equal rights to do business like other people or engage in commercial activities of their choice. All human beings deserve equal treatment in the workplace and better wages. In addition, people should rest after work in order to refresh.

nPeople in slavery face sexual abuses from their owners. This usually happens through rape and sexual assaults of slaves and their children (Equiano, 12). Women and young girls are threatened, coerced and forced to engage in sex without their will. Children also suffer child abuse in slavery from the slave masters. In addition, the slaves suffer from torture. This is a cruel act because the slaves are not able to defend themselves. Some slaves were tortured before they die, or they suffer from permanent disabilities. Bertolome accounts that the governor tortured native chieftains in Cuba until death (Casas, 38). Torture is unacceptable in contemporary society because it is against the United Nations law of human rights.

nIn conclusion, slavery in modern society exists. This happens in different workplaces such as sweatshops. For instance, people are subjected to inhumane treatment, sexual abuses, low wages and limited time to rest. It is against the UN declaration of human right to enslave other human being. Therefore, governments and other stakeholders should institute laws that severely punish those who are involved in the slave trade. All forms of slavery either international or domestic should be discouraged, and perpetrators should cover the full force of the law.

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nWorks cited

nCasas, Bartolomé de las. History Of The Indies. 1st ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1971. Print.

nEquiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano, Or, Gustavus Vassa, The African. 1st ed. Radford, VA: Wilder Publications, 2008. Print.