Slavery Widespread in Sudan, Bishop Charges
	Western Nations Condone Human Rights Outrages

EL OBEID, Sudan (CWNews.com) -- The Catholic Church in 
Sudan is fighting the practice of slavery by buying children away 
from their captors, an exiled bishop has revealed. 

Bishop Macram Max Gassis of El Obeid estimated that 3,000 
young boys and girls have been forced into slavery already this 
year. "The adolescent girls serve as concubines or 'pleasure 
instruments' for Muslim militia and the armed forces," the bishop 
said. "The boys are sent to so-called 'peace camps'-- military 
training camps where they are instructed in fighting and Islam." 

Bishop Gassis, whose report was made public by the Vatican news 
agency Fides, said that he has been branded an enemy of the 
Khartoum regime because of his public condemnation of slavery. 
He now lives and works only in the southern regions of Sudan, 
which are controlled by rebel forces. 

Bishop Gassis also condemned Western governments for their 
failure to act against the human-rights violations of the Sudan 
regime. "The West worships the golden calf," he said, explaining: 
"Sudan has oil and the West is afraid of damaging its own 
interests." 

Daily News Brief from Catholic World News for July 13, 1998
Copyright 1998 Domus Enterprises 

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