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Sudan - interview
Thousands forced into slavery in Darfur
Article published on the 2008-12-17 Latest update 2008-12-18 11:26 TU
A new report from the Darfur Consortium, which is a coalition of more than 50 NGOs, says it has uncovered evidence demonstrating how men, women and children are being forced into slavery.
The report describes how men are being abducted and forced into agricultural slavery, while women and girls are being used as sexual slaves.
"Sexual slavery of woman and girls ... they are transported into Khartoum in order to be divided up between soldiers there," says Aidan McQuade from Anti-Slavery International, which is part of the Darfur Consortium.
The report explains how slaves are being used by the Janjaweed, Sudanese Armed Forces and other militias who frequently torture and kill, and have destroyed a number of villages.
The study says this is a part of a policy, which aims to repopulate the region with Arabic-speaking people.
"There appears to be a pattern of ethnic cleansing within Darfur, where non-Arabic speaking communities are forced off their land," McQuade told RFI.
Interview: Aidan McQuade, Anti-Slavery International, London
UN officials say about 300,000 people have been killed in the region since 2003.
The report suggests that UN peacekeeping forces should be strengthened and allowed to use force to protect civilians. The Sudanese army has not yet commented on the study.
