April 2, 2001
Congress asked to sanction Sudan
___WASHINGTON (BP)--Legislation designed to further the United States' involvement in helping end a Sudanese campaign marked by religious persecution has been reintroduced in Congress.
___The Sudan Peace Act not only condemns the Khartoum government's support of mass violations of human rights, including trade in slaves, but it calls for the United States to take steps in providing relief to victims of the militant Islamic regime and in promoting the peace process.
___Sen. Bill Frist, R.-Tenn., is the chief sponsor of the Senate version, S. 180. Sen. Russell Feingold, D.-Wis., is the lead Democratic sponsor. The lead sponsors in the House of Representatives are Reps. Tom Tancredo, R.-Colo., and Donald Payne, D.-N.J. The House version is H.R. 931.
___Previous versions have failed to pass both houses.
___More than 2 million people have died and more than 4 million have been displaced in a civil war that has lasted more than 17 years in the African country.
___In recent years, the Sudanese government has been identified as one of the world's worst perpetrators of religious persecution. Last May, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom described Sudan as "the world's most violent abuser to the right to freedom of religion and belief."
___The militant Islamic regime has conducted an ongoing campaign against Christian and animist villages in the central and southern parts of the country. Troops supported by Khartoum regularly raid and burn such villages, killing the men and capturing women and children to be used or sold as slaves. The regime has conducted bombing campaigns against civilians, with Christian hospitals and schools among the targets.
___The legislation condemns human rights violations on both sides, as well as Khartoum's use of raiding parties and toleration of the slave trade. It authorizes the secretary of state to utilize his resources to support a peace process in Sudan.
Get printer-friendly version of this story
Send this story to a friend
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist
churches, in the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!