Bona Malwal calls for release of “slaves” in North Sudan

Oct 21, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — One of the recently appointed presidential advisers has repeated allegations that slavery still exists in the Sudan, the Sudan Radio Service reported.

Former minister of culture and information and now adviser to President Omar al-Beshir, Bona Malual, claims that many southern Sudanese are still held in bondage in the north.

During an exclusive interview with Sudan Radio Service on Tuesday 18 October, Malual alleged that slavery was part of the government’s policy during the war with the SPLM.

However, government officials in Khartoum have often denied claims of the existence of slavery in Sudan, arguing that some southerners may have been abducted and taken to the north, but that they are not living as slaves.

Malual insists that although the war ended with the signing of the January peace deal, the agreement did not address the issue of southerners held in bondage in northern Sudan.

He says he wants to campaign to see that all southern Sudanese – allegedly abducted mainly from northern Bahr al Ghazal and taken to northern Sudan – are freed and allowed to return home.

He urged the national unity government to find a solution to the problem, which he says should have been tackled as part of the peace process.

(SRS/ST)