There is a major threat of famine in 2001. Sudan's 1998 famine affected an estimated 2.5 million people. The government in Khartoum denied humanitarian agencies access to the famine zone for the number of months needed to assure widespread suffering and loss of life. Civilians were caught in a starvation trap. There is a need to guard against such action by the Sudan government this year.
Slavery exists in Sudan.
Annual slave raids by government-allied militia have pressed uncounted tens of thousands of southern Sudanese children and women into slavery. Most of southern Sudan's 5 million people have absolutely no access to schools or reliable health care. Sudanese government planes bombed civilian targets at least 167 times last year and no fewer than 20 times so far this year, according to data compiled by USCR from reports of relief workers in the field. That is an average of more than three bombings per week. This is a conservative total-scores of additional bombings went unreported and uncounted.