Peace: No longer slaves but brothers

“Today, due to an ever-increasing number of interconnections in today’s world that has made society powerfully aware of the common destiny of nations, slavery, an offence against human rights, has formally been abolished in the world. The right of every person to be free from slavery or oppression has been recognized in international human rights as an irrevocable norm. And yet, despite the fact that the international community has adopted numerous agreements to put an end to slavery in all its forms and undertaken various strategies to combat this phenomenon, still today millions of people – children, men and women of all ages – are deprived of freedom and forced to live in conditions similar to that of slavery,» Pope Francis wrote in his message for the World Day of Peace, celebrated on 1 January, feast of the family.

And as he writes, he remembers all «the many men and women workers, also minors, who are enslaved in different sectors,» and also recalls “the living conditions of many migrants who suffer hunger, and are deprived of liberty, stripped of their possessions or physically and sexually abused. My thoughts go to those who are dominated by fear and insecurity upon reaching their destination after a difficult journey, and are at times detained in inhuman conditions.”

Mohamed comes from Mali and has passed through a shipwreck and a life of poverty and suffering. Today, he strongly desires to express his gratitude. This what Flavia Cerino, a lawyer, tells New City. “When he was just fifteen years old, Mohamed decided to leave: a long journey through the desert in Libya (prisons and abuse) and then, finally, Italy. The Mare Nostrum operations saved him from the shipwreck but on touching ground, he was immediately handcuffed: his co-travellers had identified him as one of those engaged in the human trafficking business, but in reality he was not involved. In fact, he had distributed some food and drinks on the boat because the real traffickers had threatened to throw him overboard if he did not do so. Since he was just an adolescent he was not sent to a real jail. The long wait for the hearing which would confirm his arrest, took place in a small and cramped room in the city Court, but many people were there to take care of him: the policemen were kind and the social workers took interest in his life, health, and family. For months nobody had given him so much attention. Usually he only received commands, not questions. And then, since one of the policemen spoke French, and he was able to thoroughly explain the real facts.”

The hearing to confirm his arrest ended well: he would be assigned to service in the community, and not to jail.

“He will not be free, but it was undoubtedly better than jail. The structure was pleasant, in a small sunny town further south. Mohamed managed to gain the respect and affection of all: he was always willing to help in the housework, ready to learn new words in Italian, loved soccer but also silence and solitude. After some months, the time came for him to appear before the Court: for him this meant a return to the past, the brutal experiences he wished to forget. Though time had passed, his memories were still there, also the beautiful ones. And at the end of the hearing, he had only one wish: to return to the last floor in those dark and gloomy rooms, only to say thanks to that policeman who spoke French and those kind social workers. He would remember them forever. Unfortunately, none of these people he knew were on duty. But his ‘thanks’, quite a rare event, will be passed on to them by their colleagues.”

“We know that God will ask each of us: “What have you done to your brother?» – Pope Francis concludes. “The globalisation of indifference weighs on the lives of many of our brothers and sisters, and calls out to us to become the architects of a globalisation of solidarity that can give them hope and new courage to undertake the journey through our time and bring along with them new prospects, a task which God has entrusted to us.”