Upgrading of Sudan's slavery watch status angers activists

Activists 'outraged' over upgrading status of Sudan.

The State Department, headed by Rice, has upgraded Sudan’s slavery watch status from Tier 3 to Tier 2, meaning the problems with enslavement in the country will be monitored on the same scale as Switzerland, Israel, Chile, Hungary and Greece. The upgrading came as a result of the nation’s promise to end aspects of slavery, according to a Sept. 21 State Department memorandum explaining the president’s determination.

“On the basis of positive actions undertaken by the Government of Sudan since the end of the 2005 reporting period, the Secretary of State has determined that the Government of Sudan does not yet fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but is making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance,” states the memo, posted on the State Department Web site.

“This is the standard for placement on Tier 2 of the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report. The Secretary of State has placed Sudan on the Special Watch List because the determination that the Government of Sudan is making significant efforts is based on commitments by the country to take additional future steps over the next year. Sudan will remain on Tier 2 only as long as it continues to act on these commitments.”

The memorandum further explains that in June 2005, the State Department presented the Sudanese government with an action plan that outlined steps to combat trafficking. It gives a list of commitments and mandates that the Sudanese government has stated, including eradicating sexual violence against women, removing the legal requirement for rape victims to file a criminal report before receiving medical treatment and requiring that victims of sexual violence receive priority over other patients. But the memo also admits, “Violence against women remains a serious problem in the Darfur region.”