We are excited to tell you that on Tuesday one of the slaves you helped to set free will testify before Congress!

Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has been working tirelessly to free the slaves in Northern Sudan who were captured during the brutal civil war. One of these freed slaves, Ker Deng, was horribly abused by his master, but thanks to your support, is overcoming his injuries and is now telling the world his story.

Ker was taken into bondage at a young age and was forced to convert to Islam by his master. His job was to tend to the goats and pick hibiscus leaves for tea.  He slept with the goats at night, and was regularly beaten by his master.

One day, as punishment for letting a goat escape, Ker’s master hung him upside-down from a tree, rubbed chili peppers in his eyes, and built a fire in front of him so the smoke wafted into Ker’s face. For hours, Ker screamed in pain.  When he was finally cut down, his eyes were so badly damaged, he slowly went blind.

After his liberation, Ker traveled to the United States with our field physician, Dr. Luka, to see if his sight could be restored.  At the Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia, Ker received a cornea transplant.  The doctors hope that this transplant will allow Ker to experience partial recovery of sight!  Even though weeks must pass before the final result of the operation will be known, Ker is making good progress. He is learning English and has started piano lessons at Lighthouse Music School.

Ker has been invited to testify before the House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights about his experiences in slavery in Sudan.  Despite the official end of the North-South war in Sudan, thousands of people remain enslaved in the north – including Ker’s mother.  This issue has received scant coverage in the American media.  We hope that Ker’s testimony will help to change that.

We will covering Ker’s testimony on our Twitter feed, and post pictures and video from the testimony on our Facebook page. You can also read more of Ker’s story here.

CSI’s work to free, feed and heal the captives will continue until all the slaves, including Ker’s mother, are free. Please help us complete this task by making a donation today here and telling your friends and your pastor about Ker's historic testimony

Please pray for CSI’s work, and that God will bless Ker physically and spiritually!

Press Conference 10/4 at 11:30 am

This morning CSI held a press conference with Representative Chris Smith, Ellen Ratner, The Surgical Team from the Wilis Eye Institute in Philadelphia, Dr. John Eibner and Ker Aleu. Here are some of the highlights from this mornings event.

Rep. Chris Smith "Unfortunately, we hear very little about Sudanese Slavery today"

Ellen Ratner "Here I am, a Jew, working with Christian Solidarity International! I changed from journalist to activist on a trip to South Sudan with CSI."

Ker "My mother always said she hoped we would return someday." "my mother is still in slavery. All I need is help to get her out." 

Rep. Smith "This is a wonderful humanitarian action and it highlights the continuing problem. We have done far too little to help.

Rep. Smith. "The lifesaving work of CSI often goes unrecognized. I thank CSI publicly for their work."

Freed Teenage Slave Testifies before Congress

Ker Aleu Deng, a blind former slave liberated by Christian Solidarity International (CSI) and its partners, testified today before Congress on the persistence of slavery in Sudan.

Addressing the members of the House Subcommittee for Africa, Global Health and Human Rights, Ker said, “From a time I can’t remember until very recently, I slept with cattle and goats. …Like them, I was property.  But the animals weren’t beaten every day. I was.” Ker was frequently tortured and eventually blinded by his master.  Ker, now a teenager, was released from slavery last year, but his mother, a victim of extreme violence, remained behind.

Ker begged the American people and government to find a way to free his mother and the other Southern Sudanese who remain in captivity in the north.  “You are powerful men and women,” he said. “Please, find some way to help.”

In addition to Ker’s testimony, the subcommittee was presented with a video recording of the late Dr. John Garang, who subsequently became First Vice President of Sudan, and president of the autonomous region of South Sudan, calling for an international campaign and a domestic Sudanese conference for the eradication of slavery in Sudan.

Testimony was also presented by Ellen Ratner of Talk Radio News, who has participated in the documentation of freed Sudanese slaves, and who has enabled Ker to have eye surgery in the United States.  She stated, “Every time I look into young Ker’s damaged, unresponsive eyes, I sense the unspeakable suffering endured by him, and his mother, and countless thousands of others still being held.”

According to a leading member of the Sudanese Government’s now-defunct Committee for the Eradication of the Abduction of Women and Children, James Agueir Alic, approximately 35,000 Southern Sudanese remain enslaved in the North.

Last week, over four hundred men, women and children were liberated from slavery in north Sudan, and repatriated to their homeland, South Sudan.  CSI, which facilitated their liberation, was present to document their experiences, and provide them with food and other supplies. 

The 412 liberated slaves were either captured by Sudanese government militias, or were the offspring of captured female slaves.  The overwhelming majority of them were subjected to horrific abuses, including regular beatings, rape, genital mutilation, death threats, forced labor, racial insults and forced conversion to Islam.  Among the freed slaves were:

Deng Mawein Mawein (17 years old) – Enslaved as an infant.  Regularly beaten.  Stabbed.  Scalp burned.  Racially and religiously insulted.  Witnessed the execution of four other slaves. 

Akec Akec Wol (18 years old) – Captured in childhood.  Circumcised.  Raped.  Witnessed the execution of slaves.  Threatened with death.  Separated from her baby.

Achuil Majok Athian (30 years old) – Enslaved in adolescence.  Witnessed the execution of his father.  Though a Christian, forced to pray like a Muslim.  Shot in the leg.

Aguer Garang Deng (13 years old) – Born into slavery.  Separated from his mother.  Given an Arab name.  Beaten daily.  Tortured with boiling water.  Repeatedly raped.  Witnessed the execution of slaves.

Subcommittee Chairman Congressman Chris Smith called on the U.S. government to vigorously combat slavery in Sudan – an internationally recognized crime against humanity.  He also declared, “Christian Solidarity International’s lifesaving work in slave redemption often goes unrecognized.  I would like to publicly thank CSI for their work.”

 The CEO of CSI-USA, Dr. John Eibner, calls on the U.S. government to make the eradication of slavery in Sudan a policy priority.  He furthermore warns that, “Slavery in Sudan is a symptom of an underlying racism and religious bigotry that, if not addressed, could lead to an unraveling of North-South peace and bring yet more violence and death to that troubled region.”

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