In highlighting the case of two South Sudanese pastors on trial in neighbouring Sudan to the north, Yat Michael and Peter Yen, the BBC’s former correspondent there, James Copnall, throws light on Sudan’s treatment of its minorities (3%).
He takes a close look at the reasons behind historical conflict before the former Sudan was split into two countries in 2011, noting that “successive leaders in Khartoum have attempted to unify a huge and very diverse country by pursuing Arabising and Islamising policies”.
Copnall concludes that “it is hard to dispute that Sudan’s treatment of minorities was and is woeful.”
The trial of Michael and Yen continues in Khartoum on 25 June.
