Show 'Touched By an Angel'
deceptive on slavery in Sudan

When a story appeared in the Sept. 20 USA Today saying the Sept. 27 season premiere of "Touched by an Angel" would deal with the issue of slavery in the Sudan, my first thought was that the war against the spread and influence of Islam among Blacks in America has escalated.

There�s no doubt that the Sudanese Slavery controversy has touched a core in Americans, both Black and white. I�ve followed this issue since 1992, and have made numerous trips to the Sudan.

When the Sudanese-slavery controversy first broke there were two countries involved: Mauritania and Sudan. The issue was first pushed by the American Anti-Slavery Group, a Jewish organization headed by Dr. Charles Jacobs. When Dr. Jacobs, white and Jewish, saw the anti-slavery program had limits because of his involvement, a Black group, financed by an unknown entity, emerged forming The Coalition Against Slavery. Their main focus was Mauritania and the Sudan. Mauritania was dropped and attention shifted to the Sudan.

The group pushed the idea that Arab Muslims were enslaving Black Christians in the Sudan, and this image was being portrayed in America. Yet, this was the furthest thing from the truth.

Years ago, Min. Farrakhan weighed in on this issue in a meeting with John Garang, leader of the Sudanese People�s Liberation Army. They met for hours, and in that conversation Mr. Garang never mentioned the issue of Slavery in southern Sudan. He only spoke of justice for his people, and the suffering of Blacks in the South.

President Omar Bashir stated that, just as with any other African country there are conflicting tribes that quarrel, kidnap people, and trade them for weapons or food. There�s a problem going on in Uganda with the Lord�s Resistance Army, a Christian fundamentalist group seeking to take over the Ugandan government from President Musevini. They raid villages, hold captives, force them to work, and even make them join their army, yet the term "slavery" isn�t used; they�re called captives of war.

Why haven�t Congressman Donald Payne and writers from the Baltimore Sun, who�ve visited the Sudan, met with President Bashir and addressed the accusation of slavery?

This opening episode of "Touched By an Angel", in my opinion, is another attack on the tremendous influence that Islam is having throughout the Black community, in the Western hemisphere; and especially amongst Black American men. What the show will try to convey to those in Islam is, "how could you love a religion that supports the enslavement of Black Christians who only want their freedom?"

There are many church ministers and congressmen joining this bandwagon. But this issue can be settled overnight if America would stop making surrogate countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Eritrea, and Ethiopia part of the conflict in the Sudan. These are nations America armed, claiming they needed protection from the Sudan. But America�s arming of Ethiopia and Eritrea led to war between the two, leaving thousands of African children and women killed. It was all an elaborate attempt to topple the government of the Sudan.

If government-backed slavery exists in the Sudan then we, too, condemn it. But if this show is propaganda to divide the Black community, and attack those sympathetic to Islam, then we denounce its writers and their continuous attempt to give Africa and Islam a bad image.

Last year the New York Times reported slavery in Brazil, why hasn�t there been controversy surrounding Brazil? There, land farmers use Indians and Blacks to work on their fields under the threat of death.

There are reports of indentured-servant slavery in villages in West Africa; why hasn�t controversy surfaced around that? In India there are reports of children in bondage, working in servile conditions; why haven�t you heard this?

There�s focus on the Sudan because the current Sudanese government is a fiercely independent government that America has bombed, and falsely accused of terrorism.

So during this epoch of Min. Farrakhan�s sabbatical, they want to launch a show using notables like Della Reese, to conveying a false idea. I�m sure Mrs. Reese doesn�t know of the chicanery being used in this episode.

My only hope is that those who watch it, question it, and are able to discern whether there�s an ulterior objective here. More to come next issue.