Rukunin Yammacin Afirka

Rukunin Yammacin Afirka, wanda aka fi sani da Preventive Squadron,  wani rukuni ne na Royal Navy wanda burinsa shine ya hana Cinikin bayi na Atlantic ta hanyar sintiri a bakin tekun Yammacin Afrịka.  An kafa shi a cikin 1808 bayan Majalisar Burtaniya ta zartar da Dokar Cinikin Bauta ta 1807 kuma ta kasance daga Portsmouth, Ingila,  ya kasance umarni mai zaman kansa har zuwa 1856 sannan kuma daga 1866 zuwa 1867.

An yi muhawara game da tasirin Squadron, tare da wasu suna jayayya cewa ya taka muhimmiyar rawa ko ma ta yanke hukunci a cikin kawar da cinikin bayi na transatlantic da wasu suna mai jayayya cewa ba shi da wadataccen arziƙi, yana da wahala a cikin aiwatar da ayyukan tilasta shi, yana fama da cin hanci da rashawa, kuma ba shi da alhakin raguwa da ƙarshen kasuwancin. Masu aikin jirgin ruwa a cikin Royal Navy sun yi la'akari da shi daya daga cikin mafi munin matsayi saboda matakan Cututtukan wurare masu zafi waɗanda aka fallasa membobinta. A yayin ayyukanta, ta sami nasarar kama kusan kashi 6% na jiragen bayi na Atlantic kuma ta 'yantar da kimanin 'yan Afirka 150,000. Tsakanin 1830 da 1865, kusan ma'aikatan jirgin ruwa 1,600 sun mutu yayin aiki tare da Squadron, galibi daga cuta.

 Tarihi 
A ranar 25 ga Maris 1807, Burtaniya An soke cinikin bayi kuma ta haramta wa 'yan Burtaniya cinikayya a cikin bayi da kuma ma'aikata, tallafawa, da kuma shirya duk wani jirgin bawa. Dokar ta kuma haɗa da sashi wanda ke ba da izinin kwace jiragen ruwa ba tare da kayan bawa a cikin jirgin ba amma an sanye su da cinikayya da bayi. Amfani da aiwatar da wani bangare na Dokar da ke da niyyar kawar da cinikayya gaba ɗaya ya zama babban ƙalubale tun daga farko, musamman a kan jiragen da ba na Burtaniya ba. An ba da ƙaramin sojojin Burtaniya, a cikin mahallin Yaƙe-yaƙe na Napoleon da ke gudana, don dakatar da duk wani jirgin da ke ɗauke da tutar al'ummar abokan gaba, yana sauƙaƙa ayyukan murkushewa na ɗan lokaci. Kasancewa daya daga cikin manyan ikon cinikin bayi a lokacin kuma abokin tarayya na Burtaniya a kan Faransa, duk da haka, Portugal musamman ta yi nasarar kauce wa mafi yawan aiwatar da Dokar don jiragenta, har zuwa Fabrairu 1810, lokacin da, a karkashin matsin lamba na diflomasiyya daga London, gwamnatin Portugal ta sanya hannu kan yarjejeniyar da ta ba da izinin jiragen ruwa na Burtaniya su 'yan sanda na Portuguese, ma'ana Portugal na iya cinikin bayi ne kawai daga mallakarta ta Afirka. Don bunkasa tilasta, Admiralty ta aika da wasu jiragen ruwa biyu a cikin 1818 don yin 'yan sanda a bakin tekun Afirka.

mai zaman kansa (jirgi mai zaman kansa da ke aiki a ƙarƙashin wasika ta alama) <i id="mwQA">Dart</i>, yana bin masu bautar don samun riba daga kyaututtuka da gwamnatin Burtaniya ta kafa, ya fara kama jiragen bautar Portugal a ƙarƙashin yarjejeniyar 1810. Dart, kuma a cikin 1813 wani mai zaman kansa, <i id="mwQw">Kitty</i>, su ne kawai jirage biyu don bin masu bautar don riba kuma ta haka ne kara kokarin Squadron na Yammacin Afirka. Gaskiyar cewa kaɗan, idan akwai, wasu masu zaman kansu sun yi aiki a gefen Squadron, tare da gajeren lokacin da waɗannan jiragen biyu suka shiga, ya nuna cewa shiga masu zaman kansu ba su zama masu fa'ida ba kuma ba a sanya kyaututtuka da yawa don tabbatar da kokarin da haɗari a cikin zukatan masu zaman kansu.

Tare da Yaƙe-yaƙe na Napoleon yanzu kuma tare da nasarar Burtaniya a cikin matsayi mai ƙarfi don tsara sulhu na bayan yaƙi, Viscount Castlereagh ya yi aiki tuƙuru don tabbatar da cewa sanarwar adawa da bautar ta bayyana a cikin rubutun Majalisa ta Vienna, tare da jajircewa daga duk masu sa hannu don kawar da cinikayya. A karkashin matsin lamba na Burtaniya, Faransa ta riga ta amince da dakatar da kasuwanci a 1814, kuma Spain a 1817 ta amince da daina duk kasuwancin ta a arewacin ma'auni. Duk da haka, waɗannan yarjejeniyoyi na farko game da cinikin bayi da Burtaniya ta kulla da ikon kasashen waje galibi suna da rauni sosai a aikace. Misali, har zuwa 1835 Squadron ya kwace jiragen ruwa na kasashen waje ne kawai idan an sami bayi a cikin jirgin. Ba ta tsoma baki tare da jiragen ruwa na kasashen waje da aka sanye su da kyau don cinikin bayi ba amma ba tare da bayi a cikin jirgin ba, duk da sashi na Dokar da ta ba da izini ga Squadron don yin hakan a cikin yanayin jiragen ruwa na Burtaniya. Idan aka sami bayi a cikin jiragen ruwa na kasashen waje, za a karɓi tarar £ 100 ga kowane bawa. Don rage jimlar hukuncin, wasu kyaftin din bayi da ke cikin haɗarin kamawa sun fara jefa fursunonin su cikin jirgin.

Don gurfanar da jiragen da aka kama kuma ta haka ne ya ba da damar Sojojin Ruwa su yi ikirarin kyaututtuka, an kafa jerin kotuna a bakin tekun Afirka. A cikin 1807, an kafa Kotun Mataimakin Admiralty a Freetown, Saliyo . A cikin 1817, an kafa Kotunan Kwamitin Haɗin Kai da yawa, wanda ya maye gurbin Kotun Mataimakin Admiralty a Freetown. Wadannan Kotunan hadin gwiwa suna da jami'ai daga Burtaniya da kasashen waje, tare da kotunan Anglo-Portuguese, Anglo-Spanish, da Anglo-Dutch da aka kafa a Saliyo.

Ba kamar nau'in 'yan sanda na Pax Britannica ba wanda zai fara aiki a cikin shekarun 1840 da 1850, waɗannan ƙoƙarin da suka gabata na murkushe cinikin bayi wani lokacin sun sha wahala daga sha'awar Burtaniya, a cikin mahallin sabon Concert na Turai, don ci gaba da kasancewa da kyakkyawar dangantaka tare da sauran ikon Turai da kuma kauce wa rikice-rikice da za a iya haifar da su ta hanyar tilasta karfi. Ayyukan Squadron na Yammacin Afirka sun kasance "daidai"  ta yarjejeniyar, kuma ana iya hukunta jami'ai sosai saboda wuce ikon su. Wannan ya sa jami'an suka fi haɗari fiye da yadda za su zama daga baya a tsakiyar karni lokacin da Burtaniya za ta iya samun damar karfafa tilasta tilasta ba tare da tsoron rashin fa'idodin diflomasiyya ba kuma lokacin da bukatar bayi ke raguwa da sauri kuma cinikayya ta zama ba ta da mahimmanci ga tattalin arzikin Yammacin Turai da Arewacin Amurka.

Wani lokaci umarni ga jami'ai da su kara karfi da karfi sun wuce gona da iri albarkatun da aka bayar ga Squadron don aiwatar da su, musamman a cikin shekarun da suka biyo bayan wucewar Dokar da kuma gabatar da Majalisa ta Vienna. Misali, Commodore Sir George Ralph Collier, tare da  mai bindiga 36 a matsayin flagship dinsa, an sanya shi Commodore na farko na Squadron na Yammacin Afirka. A ranar 19 ga Satumba 1818, Sojojin Ruwa sun tura shi zuwa Tekun Guinea tare da umarni masu zuwa: "Dole ne ku yi amfani da duk wata hanyar da ke cikin ikonsu don hana ci gaba da zirga-zirgar bayi. "  Yana da jiragen ruwa shida kawai, duk da haka, wanda zai yi sintiri fiye da kilomita 5,000 (3,000  na bakin teku don haka ba zai iya lalata zirga-zarin bayi tare da shi ba, har yanzu ba zai iya hana ci gaba ba.

A cikin 1819, Royal Navy ta kirkiro tashar sojan ruwa a Freetown, babban birnin Saliyo na bakin teku, mulkin mallaka na farko na Burtaniya a Yammacin Afirka. A ƙarshen karni na 18, birnin ya riga ya zama sananne a matsayin matsakaici da mafaka ga 'yanci da tserewa daga bayi na Afirka da aka yi fataucin su da dukkan iko daban-daban na cinikin bayi, gami da ba kawai wadanda a baya aka sanya su aiki a Amurka da Turai ba har ma, musamman, wadanda suka yi nasarar kauce wa ko hana sace su. Har ila yau, ya sami suna a matsayin birni mai misali da kuma sansanin yunkurin abolitionist na duniya, wanda, a zahiri, ya kasance yana sha'awar Saliyo gaba ɗaya saboda ƙin yarda da shi da kuma kawar da bautar a cikin iyakokin sabuwar mulkin mallaka na Burtaniya. Squadron ya fara da gaske don kafa kansa a da kuma daidaita ayyukansa daga wannan tashar. Yawancin 'yan Afirka da Squadron ya ceto sun zaɓi su zauna a Saliyo, sau da yawa a cikin ko kusa da Freetown, saboda tsoron sake bautar idan sun ɓace daga tsakiyar ikon Burtaniya a Yammacin Afirka ko kuma an sauke su a wasu wurare a bakin tekun a cikin baƙi kuma ba tare da irin wannan digiri da kusanci da kariya ta Burtaniya ba da kuma sanarwa mai suna na Freetown kamar yadda, ab initio, cikakken ikon bautar bautar ba tare da bautar ba. Daga 1821, Squadron ya kuma yi amfani da Ascension Island a matsayin wurin ajiyar kayayyaki,  kafin a tura wannan zuwa Cape Town a 1832. 

A farkon shekarun, 'yan kasuwa masu ƙuduri sau da yawa suna amsawa ga ayyukan Squadron da ke fadadawa a hankali ta hanyar sauyawa zuwa jiragen ruwa masu sauri da sata, musamman ma Baltimore clippers. Da farko, masu sintiri na Burtaniya sun kasa kama mafi yawan waɗannan jiragen ruwa, amma da zarar Royal Navy ta fara amfani da masu bautar bayi da aka kama da kansu, da kuma sababbin jiragen ruwa da aka inganta da aka ƙera a Burtaniya, sun sake samun iko. Ɗaya daga cikin jiragen ruwa mafi nasara na Squadron na Yammacin Afirka shine irin wannan jirgin ruwa na Baltimore, , wanda Burtaniya ta kama daga Brazil a watan Satumbar 1827. A karkashin ikon Squadron, ta kama bayi 11 a cikin shekara guda.

A cikin shekarun 1840, Squadron na Yammacin Afirka ya fara karɓar Jiragen ruwa irin su , wanda ya tabbatar da mafi girma a hanyoyi da yawa ga jiragen ruwa da suka maye gurbin. Jiragen Ruwa sun kasance masu zaman kansu daga iska, kuma ruwa mai zurfi ya ba su damar yin sintiri a bakin teku da koguna. A tsakiyar karni na 19, akwai kimanin jiragen ruwa 25 da ma'aikata 2,000 tare da wasu ma'aikatan jirgin ruwa 1,000 da ke cikin kokarin tilasta.

Burtaniya ta ci gaba da matsawa wasu kasashe cikin yarjejeniyar adawa da bautar da ta ba Royal Navy ƙarin iko don bincika jiragensu don 'yan Afirka da aka kama. Yayin da karni na 19 ya ci gaba, Royal Navy ya fara hana cinikin bayi a Arewacin Afirka, Gabas ta Tsakiya, da Tekun Indiya.

Sojojin Ruwa na Amurka sun taimaka wa Squadron na Yammacin Afirka a cikin toshewar bayi, da farko kaɗan amma daga baya sakamakon haka. Ayyukan hadin gwiwa sun fara ne a cikin 1820 tare da aikawa zuwa gabar tekun Yammacin Afirka na USS <i id="mwkQ">Cyane</i>, wanda Amurka ta kama daga Royal Navy a watan Fabrairun 1815 a cikin wani gagarumin aiki na minti 40 a tsakiyar dare a bakin tekun Portugal, daya daga cikin abubuwan da suka faru na ƙarshe na yaƙi a Yaƙin 1812. Gudummawar Amurka ba ta wuce jiragen ruwa kaɗan ba, wanda ya zama abin da aka sani kawai da Squadron Afirka, har zuwa ƙarshen Yarjejeniyar Webster-Ashburton a 1842, inda aka haɓaka kuma ya ƙarfafa sosai. Wannan yarjejeniya da karuwar girman da girman Squadron na Afirka na Amurka wanda ya biyo baya na iya zama saboda sanyaya dangantakar da ke tsakanin kasashen biyu a lokacin, daidaitawa mai ban dariya a cikin siyasa da sauran sharuddan abubuwan da ke faruwa a lokacin da kuma shirye-shiryen Whigs na Arewacin Amurka da yankunan karkara na Burtaniya (duka a cikin gwamnatin tsakiya a lokacin sanya hannu kan yarjejeniyar), da kuma sauyawa a cikin ma'aunin dangantakar kasa da ta sanya hadin kai na ɗan lokaci ga bangarorin biyu. Haɗin gwiwar Anglo-Amurka a cikin murkushe cinikin bayi a wannan lokacin ya jawo mummunar zanga-zanga daga masu cinikayya masu zaman kansu na Democrat a kudancin Amurka da kuma masu cinikashin kansu na Birtaniya, gabaɗaya suna goyon bayan Whigs na Burtaniya da masu sassaucin ra'ayi, waɗanda suka dogara sosai ga shigo da albarkatun kasa masu arha daga bawa ta Kudu don samar da masana'antu da sauri kuma sau da yawa sun ci gaba da goyon bayan bangaren Confederate a yakin basasar Amurka. Wadannan na karshe sun yi hakan duk da cewa, a lokacin, sun fi adawa da bautar a cikin daularsu kuma suna adawa da bayi da kuma tattalin arziki, zamantakewa, da kuma siyasa na noma gaba ɗaya.

A cikin 1867, Tashar Cape of Good Hope ta shawo kan tashar West Coast na Afirka. Ba zato ba tsammani, a cikin 1942, don sauƙaƙe ƙoƙarin Royal Navy a Yaƙin Duniya na Biyu, an farfado da Tashar Afirka ta Yamma a matsayin umurni mai zaman kanta amma ba a kiyaye ta ba bayan ƙarshen yaƙin a cikin 1945.

 Tasiri 
Rukunin Rundunar Yammacin Afirka ta Royal Navy ta kama kusan jiragen ruwa 1,600 da suka shiga cinikin bayi tare da 'yantar da bayi 150,000 da ke cikin jiragen tsakanin shekarar 1807 zuwa 1860.

Robert Pape da Chaim Kaufmann sun bayyana wannan Runduna a matsayin mafi tsada a cikin dukkanin matakan agaji na kasa da kasa a tarihin zamani.

 Bayin da aka 'yantar 
Bayin da Rundunar ta ceto ana maida su zuwa nahiyar Afirka, amma wadanda suka fito daga cikin ƙasashe ko ƙauyuka masu nisa suna shan wahala wajen samun hanyar komawa gidajensu. Sau da yawa suna bata hanya kuma suna fuskantar mawuyacin hali da wahalhalu yayin dawowarsu, ko kuma su jira kotunan gargajiya su warware rikice-rikicen doka da suka taso daga 'yancinsu da dawowarsu gida, wanda a wasu lokuta kan ɗauki dogon lokaci.

Ana kiyasta cewa kusan kashi ɗaya cikin huɗu na waɗanda aka ceto amma ba su iya zama a Freetown ko ba su so su zauna a can, kuma ba su da sauƙin komawa asalin yankunansu (wani adadi mai yawa daga cikin waɗanda aka ceto), sun mutu kafin su samu cikakken 'yanci daga nauyin doka da na zahiri na bauta da kuma rikice-rikicen rayuwa da suka fuskanta.

A madadin haka, da dama daga cikin bayin da aka 'yantar — musamman matasa daga yankunan ciki — sun zaɓi shiga cikin Royal Navy ko Rukunin Sojojin West India, bisa fatan samun 'yanci cikin gaggawa duk da sanin cewa ba za su sake komawa gidajensu ba har abada. Hakanan, wasu (kimanin 35,850) sun amince da tayin musamman daga wasu masu daukar ma’aikata na Birtaniya don yin aikin koyon sana’a a yankin West Indies.Costello (2012), shafuka 36–37.

 Suka 
Dan jarida Howard W. French ya yi ikirarin cewa an yi tsammanin tasirin Rundunar yaki da cinikin bayi fiye da kima, inda ya kira ta da "ginshiki na maudu’i" da ke karfafa kyakkyawan hoto na tarihin Birtaniya maimakon "nadama ko ma tattaunawa mai ma'ana game da cinikin bayi da aikin gonar da suka yi a baya." Wani bincike da aka buga a shekarar 2021 a International Journal of Maritime History ya nuna cewa, duk da himma daga wasu kwamandoji na musamman, "Rundunar Sojan Ruwa ta Birtaniya ba ta tsunduma gaba daya cikin kawo karshen cinikin bayi ba," inda ya bayyana cewa Rundunar "ta kunshi kasa da kashi biyar cikin dari na jiragen yakin rundunar sojan ruwa, tana kunshe da rundunar da ba ta dace ba kuma ba ta wadatar da irin girman yankin da take sintiri."

Mary Wills daga Cibiyar Nazarin Bauta da 'Yanci ta Wilberforce ta bayyana cewa Rundunar tana "da nasaba da ra’ayoyin jin kai amma kuma tana da sha’awa mai karfi kan fadada da tsoma baki," kuma ta lura cewa "ta dogara da Afirkawa wajen gudanar da ayyukanta na yau da kullum," musamman ma mutanen Kru. John Rankin daga Jami'ar East Tennessee State ya bayyana cewa "Afirkawa da matukan jirgin ruwa na diasporan Afirka sun kai kashi daya cikin biyar na ma'aikatan jiragen ruwa," kuma matukan jirgin na Kru "sun kasance kungiyoyi masu zaman kansu, suna aiki a cikin jiragen ruwa a karkashin shugaba daya wanda ke aiki a matsayin mai shiga tsakani tsakanin jami'an sojan ruwa na Birtaniya da na karamin matsayi da kuma 'Kroo' dinsa."

 Yanayin aiki 
James Watt ya rubuta cewa ma’aikatan Rundunar "suna fama da gajiya sakamakon hawan jirgin ruwa da hannu a cikin yanayi mai tsananin zafi, tare da kamuwa da zazzabin da ke haifar da cututtuka da ba su cika warkewa ba," kuma cewa rundunar tana da matsaloli na rashin lafiya da mace-mace fiye da sauran sassan Rundunar Sojan Ruwa ta Birtaniya.

 Babban Jami'i, Rundunar Yammacin Afirka (1808–1815) 
Wadanda suka rike mukamin sun hada da:

  Matsayi  Tutar Mukami  Suna  Shekaru Babban Jami'i, Rundunar Yammacin Afirka 1  Kwamado  25px  Edward H. Columbine  1808–18112  Kyaftin    Mai Girma Frederick Paul Irby  1811–18133  Kwamado  25px  Thomas Browne  1814–1815

A Kula da Tashar Gabar Yammacin Afirka
Komodori, Tashar Gabar Yammacin Afirka (1818–1832)
Masu rike da mukamin sun haɗa da:

  Matsayi  Tutar  Suna  Lokaci Komodori, Tashar Gabar Yammacin Afirka 1  Komodori  25px  Sir George Collier, 1st Baronet 1818–1821Lloyd, shaf. 67–68.2  Komodori  25px  Sir Robert Mends 1822–18233  Komodori  25px  Sir Charles Bullen 1823–18274  Komodori   25px  Francis Augustus Collier 1826–18305  Komodori  25px  John Hayes 1830–1832

An haɗa Tashar Gabar Yammacin Afirka da Tashar Cape of Good Hope Station, daga 1832–1841 da 1857–60 (Lloyd, shaf. 68).

Komodori/Ogane Babba, a Tashar Gabar Yammacin Afirka (1841–1867)
Masu rike da mukamin sun haɗa da:

  Matsayi  Tutar  Suna  Lokaci Komodori/Ogane Babba, a Tashar Gabar Yammacin Afirka 1  Komodori  25px  William Tucker 1841–18422  Kaptin    John Foote 1842–18443  Kaptin    William Jones 1844–1846 (an daga shi Komodori a lokacin aiki)4  Komodori   25px  Charles Hotham 1846–18495  Komodori  25px  Arthur Fanshawe 1850–18516  Komodori   25px  Henry William Bruce 1851–18547  Komodori  25px  John Adams 1854–18568  Komodori   25px  Charles Wise 1857–18599  Komodori  25px  William Edmonstone 1860–186210  Komodori   25px  A. P. Eardley Wilmot 1862–186511  Komodori  25px  Geoffrey Thomas Phipps Hornby 1866–1867

Daga shekara ta 1867, an soke mukamin komodori a Tashar Gabar Yammacin Afirka, kuma aikin nasa aka mika wa ogane babba a Cape of Good Hope

A cikin al'adun gargajiya  
Tawagar Yammacin Afirka ta fito a cikin litattafan tarihi na Lona Manning A Contrary Wind (2017) da A Marriage of Attachment (2018).  

Patrick O'Brian ya sanya jigon littafinsa na 1994 The Commodore, littafi na goma sha bakwai a cikin jerin Aubrey–Maturin series, akan Kyaftin din Sojan Ruwa na Sarauta, Jack Aubrey, wanda aka ba shi umarnin wata tawaga don dakile cinikin bayi a gabar tekun Yammacin Afirka kusa da karshen War of the Sixth Coalition. Ko da yake ba a bayyana sunan tawagar da take West Africa Squadron a sarari ba, ta cika ayyukan da aka sani na tawagar a lokacin, kuma ta yi ishara ga Slave Trade Act 1807.  

William Joseph Cosens Lancaster, wanda ya rubuta a karkashin sunan Harry Collingwood, ya rubuta litattafai hudu game da wannan tawagar:  
 (1885)  
 (1895)  
 (1909)  
 (1911)  

Kyaftin Charles Fitzgerald ya kasance dan wasa mai tallafawa a fim din Amistad (1997), yana ba da shaida game da labarin bayi na Afirka, kuma a karshen, ya ba da umarnin lalata katangar bayi ta Lomboko.

 Manazarta 

 Ƙara karatu 
*
 Access from UK with TV licence.
Chasing Freedom: The Royal Navy and the Suppression of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
The West African Squadron and slave trade
BBC News – "10 things about British slavery"
Hochschild, Adam. Bury the Chains: The British Struggle to Abolish Slavery. (London: Macmillan, 2005), 
Lloyd, Christopher. The Navy and the Slave Trade: The Suppression of the African Slave Trade in the Nineteenth Century. (Cass library of African studies, no. 4. London: Cass, 1968), OCLC: 177145

Naval Review book review of "BRITAIN’S WAR AGAINST THE SLAVE TRADE: THE OPERATIONS OF THE ROYAL NAVY’S WEST AFRICA SQUADRON 1807-1867"

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