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"Beware of the tears of orphans and the prayers of those who
are victimized." With these words a Sudanese army officer, on
trial , faced his accusers.
The military government's drive to control Sudan has produced
human rights violations on a staggering scale across the country.
No one is safe. The victims come from all classes, ethnic groups,
and religions. The abuses they suffer include torture, arbitrary
detention, mutilation, flogging, "disappearance" and death.
Sudan is one of the world's poorest countries, has been racked
by a bitter war for the past decade. This land of extarordinary
diversity and economic potential has been crippled by 11 years of
fighting between the government and rebels of the Sudan
People's Liberation Front. All sides to the conflict have committed
gross abuses of human rights. All sides have exploited
ethnicity to cause bitter local conflicts. All sides have been
responsible for creating humanitarian need on a massive scale.
In this report Amnesty International shows that Sudan's future
depends on human rights. The abuses have spread terror and
misery throughout the country. None of Sudan's problems can be
solved until respect for human rights is restored.