Slavery in Sudan

These activities by the Muraheleen tribal militia is sanctioned by the North Sudanese government led by Omar El Bashir, in the pretence that the government is fighting against the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) by the rebels in the South. This was an excuse to gain political mileage and propagate slavery. This tactic worked because it made the north more powerful as well as destroying families in the south. If you rip these families apart they will become destitute. If the men in the villages are killed, the women will have little support. This strategy worked because it destroyed families. .
             Jok (2001) observes that the Baggara were better armed than the Dinka as the former received government aid in purchasing of arms from the neighboring civilian-war that hit the country of Chad. One such support was by allowing some members of the Baggara tribe to enlist in the Sudanese military and once the men deserted they kept the acquired arms. In addition, most western Sudanese were allowed after retiring from the military to retain a number of guns for their own use. These arms eventually ended up being used for subduing black Sudanese and taking not only slaves but also property such as cattle rustling. Slaves were mostly taken to western part of Sudan which neighbors the country of Chad, which is highly unstable due to the civil war. Arab pastoralists were also allowed to keep arms and use them as they wished. Furthermore, the government of Northern Sudan did not in any way attempt to assist victims of slavery. Parents who went to western Sudan to search for their abducted children, received no help from authorities or law enforcement such as the police in particular. The government, in this regard, aided a great deal in ensuring that slave trade was perpetuated. Consequently, the 'Redemption' or 'Buy-back' policy was formulated where Dinka parents of abducted children in Bahr el Ghazal were assisted by non-Sudanese Christians to purchase the freedom of their abducted children as well as, female relatives (Human Rights Watch, 2002).