§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the level of abductions and slavery in the Sudan. [76987]
§ Mr. MacShane[holding answer 28 October 2002]: There have been no new confirmed cases of abduction during 2002. The majority of abductions in recent years have been associated with the Government train to Bahr al Ghazal. We and our EU partners have made representations to the Government, urging suspension of the train until peace is achieved and an end to encouragement for armed horsemen (murahiliin) militias. The train has not operated this year.
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