News Article by REUTERS posted on October 11, 2000 at 08:54:52: EST (-5 GMT)
Bashir denies existence of slavery in Sudan
KHARTOUM, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Sudan's President Omar Hassan
al-Bashir
denied the existence of any form of slavery in Sudan,
the privately-owned
al-Rai al-Aam newspaper said on Wednesday.
"President Omar Bashir reaffirmed the commitment of Sudan to
laws and
rules respecting human rights and he denied the
existence of any form of
slavery in the land," it said.
The newspaper quoted Bashir as saying this to a visiting
U.S. delegation
headed by Martin Luther King Junior, the son of
the late black U.S. civil
rights leader Martin Luther King.
Bashir said those who are accusing Sudan of slavery want to
distort the
country's image in the eyes of international public
opinion.
"The United States would continue its direct contacts and
dialogue with
Sudan to remove misunderstanding and to take part
in bringing peace," it
quoted King as saying.
Sudan has been waging a 17-year-old civil war that human
rights groups
charge involves indiscriminate bombing,
starvation, slavery and forced
conversions against the country's
predominantly black African southerners,
who are largely
Christian or followers of African religions.
On Tuesday, the United States blocked the election of Sudan
to the
prestigious U.N. Security Council, citing Khartoum's
alleged involvement in
terrorism and poor human rights record.
Sudan was the candidate of the African group for an African
seat next year
on the council, the U.N.'s top decision-making
body responsible for
international peace and security.
Human rights groups have consistently accused Bashir's
Islamist government
of turning a blind eye to human rights
abuses, especially the re-emergence of
cases of slavery.