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VOL 3. NO. 20 Monday, May 28 - Sunday, June 3, 2001
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Don't Be Bamboozled With Claims Of Slavery In Sudan
Sudan Bashers Being "Mislead" By Whites' Agenda
By William REED

Courtesy Photo, Joe Madison and Johnnie Cochran

Is it possible that famous lawyer Johnnie Cochran could be duped and hoodwinked by whites engaged in subterfuge to overthrown a black nation? As legal counsel to Michael Horowitz, who along with two African Americans: talk show host Joe Madison, and former D.C. Delegate Walter Fauntroy, were arrested for chaining themselves to the Sudanese embassy in Washington, Cochran has become a player in a parody of misled and misinformed blacks who support military and political attacks on Sudan.

Instead of just representing his client on a misdemeanor charge of unlawful entry, Cochran went on national television and radio parroting his client's claims of slave trading by the Sudanese government. With his comments, Cochran joins a chorus of African-American leaders being manipulated against the black government in Sudan in concert with its former colonialists' attempt to overthrown it. Will African Americans buy into this canard, or look for truth beyond the emotional rhetoric?

Cochran's client, along with Madison and Fauntroy, have formed an abolitionist group, the Free Sudan Movement, which they say is to" raise voices against slavery in the Sudan." They intend to "educate and mobilize the African-American community," and, "raise resources to assist Christian Solidarity International in freeing our brothers and sisters" there. But, in their claims of slavery in Sudan, movement's leaders give little account of the reason there is so much turmoil there, the war. Sudan is the site of one of the world's longest wars, and the people Cochran's clients support have waged war against the government for 17 years.

Sudan is a black-governed nation of 35 million people. It is Africa's largest country in land mass. But, like much of Africa - with seeds sown by former colonialists - Sudan has had recurring wars since independence in 1956 from an Egyptian-British condominium. British firms have ongoing financial interest there, its military created the Islam-Christian conflict in 1923 when they divided Sudan between north and south. Sudanese leaders say there were no natural north-south, or Muslim-Christian, divisions in Sudan except those militarily imposed by the British. Sudanese embassy officials deny any "state-sponsored slavery," but concede that in the undeveloped south warring tribes take hostages as a part of their conquest.

Is it possible that slavery is a deceptive issue that whites with interest in Sudan's oil and agriculture sectors are employing to regain control of the country? Many say, the bamboozle is centered around John Eibner, director of Christian Solidarity International (CSI) and person at the center of the allegations about slavery in Sudan. Eibner claims to have traveled to Sudan 30 times since 1995 to document the slave trade. He says he's freed over 30,000 Christian and animist slaves, for whom he paid about $35. each.

But, is Eibner pulling off a flimflam? CSI finances and propagandizes African Americans with broad public outreach to smear Sudan over allegations of slavery, knowing it to be an issue sensitive to African Americans. The height of the spoof is that it's the funds CSI provides to publicize slavery that actually creates such a market among poor Sudanese desperate for American dollars. If Eibner's claims are true he has paid out over $1 million freeing Sudan's slaves. To free the 4,000 Madison says he personally "redeemed" cost $140,000, an amount that could get a number of people delivered, not only in Sudan with its $900-a-year per capita income, but in New York City and most places around the world as well.

Christian Solidarity International's tactics are questionable. The group paid for the trips of these slave-seekers, assisted each of their unlawful entries into Sudan, and bought the slaves through their rebel army contacts.

CSI has sought a foothold for this cause among African Americans since 1995. Before Cochran and company found persecution of Christians and slavery in Sudan, numerous delegations of black newspaper publishers, civil rights and elected officials went there. Curiously, they found no slave trade and few - five percent of the population - Christians. What they did find were wide-spread British financial interests threatened by the government in Khartoum.

Before American Blacks buy into Cochran and Company's ruse, they should ask themselves "Why is a sophisticated British-run institution like CSI chaperoning African Americans to Sudan?" The answer is that, if Western governments are going to isolate Sudan and dismember it, they need to neutralize an African-American backlash.

If Cochran feels that there is slavery in Sudan, he should do all he can to stop the war. Once the war is ended he'll see that the CSI used its cast of characters to perpetrate a fraud.

William Reed is the author of "Who's Who in Black Corporate America." For questions or comments email him at businessexchange@metroconnection.info or call him at 202-547-4125.

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