Emotional Upheaval: Making the Sudan video

I developed great sadness while making the video about the Christian Solidarity International/Talkers Magazine Trip to Southern Sudan video, and have written an extended post about it on my personal website.

Click here to visit my personal website and read my thoughts on this video.

Ambassador says human trafficking is modern day slavery

At a Congressional Human Rights Caucus Briefing today, Ambassador Mark Lagon, director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at the U.S. State Department, discussed human trafficking from conflict zones in sub-Saharan Africa. UNICEF estimates that conscription of child soldiers affects more than 300,000 children under the age of 18 in more than 30 armed conflicts worldwide.

In December 2007, the United Nations noted that evidence suggests refugee and internally displace person (IDP) camps are often prime recruiting grounds for child soldiers because of the concentration of vulnerable children. Lagon said that human trafficking is modern day slavery. Child soldiers undergo severe physical and psychological trauma, sexual abuse and are high risks of receiving sexually transmitted diseases and rehabilitation is incredibly difficult.

Lagon stressed the need for widespread education about trafficking, what it is and what it entails, which will decrease it from happening in large part. The United States has a “zero tolerance for trafficking” and the abetting of sexual prostitution, said Lagon. Congress has strengthened anti-trafficking legislation and contributed more than $74 million in funding last year for efforts to end slavery abroad. The money has been used for rehabilitation for victims, special housing shelters, law enforcement training, information and awareness campaigns and combating sex tourism.

Lagon said that the United States is asking governments to immediately take action to increase rescues of trafficking victims and prosecutions of traffickers, people freed from slavery must be treated as victims of crime and the demand for modern-day slaves must be stopped.

Photos from Sudan

One recently freed South Darfur slave boy helps another open his sack of hope - these sacks will provide for the former slaves for months

Click "Read more" to see more photos. Note: some photos are graphic depictions of injuries.




President of South Sudan Salva Kiir


Quant: just arrived from northern Sudan, mother taken into slavery when community was burned in Southern Sudan, without medical treatment and surgery he will die, his mother was beaten, she had other children


Close-up of Quant's leg wound: the white is chalk used by the Sudanese to 'prevent' infection. CSI will help him, but without treatment he will die


Recently Freed South Darfur Former Slaves Line Up For Sacks of Hope


Boys now in late teens freed 24 hrs before trns arrived in exchange for cow vaccine: opening "sacks of hope" in South Darfur - sacks will allow them to survive for months.


Leg wound of recent Returnee: girl was unsure of how she received wound, but must have immediate treatment


Akec Mou: Arrived one day before TRNS people - Christian, husband had two wives, first wife was enslaved, she was caught in Darfur because she was trying to find her enslaved children - never found them - she was gone for years.


Arms raised of people who have witnessed someone they know killed - Majang Kar: these people were returned to this village in last 4 days - many of these women were slaves taken from the village forcibly years ago


Face of Newly Freed Former Slave Boy in South Darfur


Abook taken when she was 5 years old: North Arabs converted her to Islam, changed her name, forced her to do everything around the house, gang raped, freed within the last 24 hrs, constantly insulted, never plate of food for her, given leftovers to eat like a dog, refused female circumcision, has no children.


Leg wound of slave boy - boy was beaten and stabbed


Acatch's wound from a different angle: beaten with bamboo and also stabbed


Group of Recently Freed 24 hrs before TRNS arrived: Group of Recently Freed 24 hrs before TRNS arrived - brought out to field by local cattlemen under a local agreement - local peace agreement signed in 1991 and 92 between Arabs and Dinka on Darfur / South Sudan border - boys did not know they would be freed - many were enslaved for up to 15 years - each in mid to late teens - each slave traded for cow vaccine


Leg wound of recently freed South Darfur slave: Acatch (all name spellings are phonetic) was forced to be Muslim - can understand his own language - had to call his master "Master" or else he would be beaten - beaten when a goat would not return - beaten with Bamboo - does not remember mother's name - often hungry


Red, rusty tint in these boys hair is due to malnutrition - unsure of eye problems - in town we flew in to and landed on dirt field - Gok Machar (phonetic)