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SLAVERY IN SUDAN - APPEAL FOR
RELEASES
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Slaves held captive in Sudan must be released
within the next two months, said representatives of two prominent
human rights monitoring organisations today (6 May 1999). The 10th
anniversary this June of Sudan President Omar al-Bashir's accession
to power offers his government a unique opportunity to free hundreds
of women and children held in slavery in southern Darfur and Kordofan,
according to London-based Anti-Slavery and Sudan Update, a monitor
of Sudanese affairs.
At the end of April at its annual session in Geneva, the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights condemned the practice of government-backed
militias abducting women and children in Sudan who are then subjected
to "forced labour or similar conditions" – a phrase apparently used
because it is more diplomatic than "slavery".
"Whether it is called forced labour or slavery makes no difference,”
says Mike Dottridge, Director of Anti-Slavery, the world's first international
human rights campaign. "The reality is that people abducted from
communities in northern Bahr al-Ghazal by government-backed militias
are being exploited as slaves in the households of militiamen and
others.”
"The Government of Sudan’s use of militias has resulted in thousands
of people being enslaved, even before the current government seized
power in 1989,” adds Peter Verney, Editor of Sudan Update and
author of a joint report with Anti-Slavery in 1997 (Slavery in
Sudan). "Ending the use of militias is vital to ending slavery
or 'forced labour’, just as it is to end the terrible rift between
the Dinka communities in the areas being raided and the Baggara who
have carried out raids and abducted women and children. The Government
of Sudan¹s willingness to secure releases now will be a clear signal
as to whether it is willing to uphold the basic rights of all Sudanese,
including non-Arabic speaking southerners.”
Recent publicity about slavery in Sudan has focused on claims that
more than 2,700 slaves have been released since January 1999 in return
for payments totalling over US$100,000, and on accusations by US-based
groups that UN agencies are not doing enough to free slaves.
"The Government of Sudan is the best placed to ensure releases,”
claims Mike Dottridge. "Now it can show it is opposed to women
and children being held captive in private households by ordering
their release and backing international efforts to trace everyone
who has been abducted.”
In March 1999 UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy stated for the
first time that UNICEF was concerned about slavery in Sudan. "Now
that there is irrefutable evidence of an established and on-going
slave trade in Sudan, UNICEF hopes to co-operate effectively with
the Government of Sudan, and other interested members of the international
community ... to end the slave trade in Sudan.”
Last week (30 April 1999), President Omar al-Bashir told journalists
that reports of slavery were part of a campaign "to distort Sudan’s
image through all sorts of propaganda” and suggested "the claim
will make anyone familiar with the situation in Sudan laugh”.
In the same week, however, Sudan Government diplomats accepted proposals
at the UN that action be taken to end abductions and "forced labour
and similar conditions" in Sudan.
"Recent denials by government officials that slavery exists are
not based on serious investigation nor have any credibility,” reports
Mike Dottridge. "We understand that the Government instinctively
rebuts as propaganda, any claims about slavery when made by organisations
supporting the opposition Sudan People¹s Liberation Army. [The SPLA
has been fighting government forces since 1983.] But 'slavery’ is
not a propaganda issue which can be disposed of by calling it 'forced
labour’ nor by claiming that 'just a few people’ are held as a result
of 'tribal clashes’, as the government does. It is also not enough
for opponents of the government to call in television cameras to film
thousands of dollars being paid as ransoms. We insist that action
be taken now by the Government of Sudan, and on international support
to trace - and attempt to return - all those who has been abducted.”
Slavery in Sudan describes the pattern of slavery established in Sudan
since the mid-1980s. Published in 1997, it remains an accurate portrayal
of the problem and is available from Anti-Slavery's office in London.
Neither Anti-Slavery nor Sudan Update has taken part in the paying
of money (described as "ransoms" or "redemption") for the release
of Sudanese women and children held as captives or slaves, nor have
they arranged for the media to visit parts of Sudan to film people
presented as "freed slaves". Neither organisation has links with the
Government of Sudan or the SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army).
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| 5 May 1999 |
PR/4/99 |
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