Minority Report: Yemen's Akhdam "Out-Castes"

They have lived in Yemen for well over a thousand years. They are Arabic-speaking Muslims. And yet they are Yemen's great outcasts. Meet the Akhdam.

The photo at right is a snapshot from one of the Akhdam shanty-towns in Yemen's capital. As one article notes, this street slum lies "virtually in the shadows of the multi-million-dollar presidential mosque, and is made up of squat cinderblock buildings and shacks made from scrap materials. It sits on a waterway that fills up in the winter, turning the pathways into rivulets and dirt floors into muck."

Legend has it that the Black Yemenis, who do not belong to any of the major Arab tribe groups, descend from Ethiopian invaders from the sometime between 100-600 A.D. When the Ethiopian invasion failed, they became slaves and servants. With the abolition of slavery in Yemen (in 1962!), the Akhdam are now all "free" but face widespread discrimination and economic hardship:

They are almost always kept at arms length, and any chance of social integration is next to impossible. Their name, akhdam, is the plural of the Arabic term khadim, which literally means servant, a term far predating their common occupation nowadays as sanitary workers and garbage collectors, and is given to any Yemeni-born person with black skin, especially in the north of the country.

For more on the obstacles faced the Akhdam and proposed reforms, see Huda Seif's report in the Muslim World Journal of Human Rights [excerpt from abstract]:

...the Al-Akhdam are persecuted on account of their being of African-descent in a country with an Arab-majority... The article advocates the protection of the collective human rights of the Al-Akhdam minority and proposes cogent measures for restoring social justice through the implementation of specific actions, including international condemnation of their persecution; official recognition of the violence meted to them; national international recognition and promotion of their rights; cessation of Yemeni government-supported policy of Al-Akhdam forced labor; formal extension of constitutionally-guaranteed economic and social rights and the establishment of a program designed to integrate them into the mainstream of Yemeni society.

Comments

[Ajf 4]

Wow, it is really great.I am very pleased that that i'm standing at an excellent blog of my life, i'm really glad to get my comment here in very decent topic. Thanks to you!

[lacoste shirts]

You have to believe in yourself . That's the secret of success .(Do you understand?

[Asics shoes]

Not stubborn careful work, even the talented person will become useless embroidered pillow similar trinkets.Do you think so?

[New Balance 574]

When you desire achievements as badly as you desired the air, then you're going to get it. That's the secret to triumph. Do you believe so?

[UGG 5235 boots]

Your artilcles are good,I read all yours,I got the best meaning about something,insist in them,and I will follow you in the future,and now can you support me to know about UGG 5235 boots of my website,only need to link my name and know all about it,thanks.

[Air yeezy shoes]

I think that is an ocean of knowledge, i actually admire your write-up inside your mind. You allow me find out a entire lot out of your blog. I desire you carry on to update, i will carry on to assistance your blog.

[emu boots]

Last winter UGG Classic Cardy Boots were the most popular sheepskin boots.The color and the design were really well, giving a very natural earthy appearance. In paticular,for this reason Chocolate color cold weather boots have become popular once more, I expect they will be very fashionable for quite some time to come.Just as the UGG Crochet Boots,be sure will be the next miracle in boots market.
http://www.emubootsoutlet.com
http://www.ukemuboots.com
http://www.emusheepskinbootsale.com
http://www.coachbagsoutlet.org
http://www.shoesonlinestores.org

[christian louboutin]

In June of 1996, chez Domaine du Val des Rois, in Valreas, I tasted a 1969 rose that my host, Romain Bouchard, had made, from Grenache, Syrah, and Gamay, and it was breath-taking! Only very slightly past its prime, but still vivid and precise, and riveting. After which we tasted a Tavel, from...1968--a terrible year--and it was more tired than the Bouchard wine, but amazingly still quite interesting.

[jordan retro 5]

So fashion comments the people leave,and most of them agree with you said,and come on!don’t stop writing,and enjoy yourself!

[christian louboutin shoes]

Third, it can enable us to plan our work for the day. We cannot work well without a proper plan.
Early rising can also give us enough time to get ready for our work.

[chanel handbags]

Everyone should have a love.Because love is pure.We can not to pollute it.Love is wonderful.
She is a good girl.She helped everyone.She study very well.But almost more than I.hehe.

[louis vuitton handbags]

We eat together.We play together. We study together......Last I love her.
Early rising benefits us in many ways.

[gucci handbags]

First, it helps to keep us fit. We all need fresh air. Besides, by taking morning exercises we can improve our health.
Second, it can help us in our studies. In the morning we can learn more quickly.

[Jordan Sneakers]

So cool life you are,and cool person,like it so much,hope to be greater.enjoy yourself.

[air jordan]

Ah! The world is not good.

[link building services]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

[wholesale Juicy Handbags]

ONDE VOU COLOCAR A PRÓTESE?
Por baixo do músculo: trata-se de uma técnica mais sofisticada, pois o cirurgião plástico vai precisar chegar até o músculo para alojar a prótese. Como fica instalado de forma mais profunda, o resultado é mais natural, principalmente para mulheres magrinhas. Essa localização também diminui o perigo da contratura capsular, um dos riscos dessa cirurgia e facilita a realização de mamografias. Em compensação, nos primeiros dias depois da cirurgia, a dor é intensa. Outra desvantagem: há maior risco de um deslocamento caso o músculo da mulher seja muito forte.

[moon boots]

Do they pick up the cellphone? Visvim Visit a particular Moonboots Word wide web Ugg boots Sale web page? Have a look at a save? Emu boots Of course, if they don't know what they should certainly be performing, Emu Boots odds are they would not do anything at all Nike Free 7.0 in anyway.

[Jordan Kicks]

Where should their loyalty lie and what should be the consequences of their actions ?

[Lacoste Boots]

Get the Best boots which ahave great style and looks at reasonable rates

[ClubPenguinCheats]

I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog.

[Generic Cialis]

Hola,
Ha hecho un trabajo muy bueno. Hay muchas personas en busca de eso ahora van a encontrar suficientes fuentes por tus consejos.
espera para obtener más consejos acerca de que

[Nike Free Run]

barefoot is not a good idea. These individuals feel that there's not sufficient

[ズファジラン]

grea post i like it

[Herve leger]

grea post i like it