KHARTOUM, Sudan — More than two years ago, two shipping containers of Bibles were headed for Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, when they were detained at Port Sudan.
At the end of October, one of them was still sitting there, detained by authorities without explanation, according to a representative of the Bible Society of Sudan. At present, the society does not have a single copy of an Arabic Bible available in Khartoum.
A church leader said availability of Bibles and Christian literature in the country is increasingly limited. “There is difficulty in getting Bibles in the country,” he said.
Other international Bible providers also have complained of Sudan detaining shipping containers full of Bibles — usually because of corruption, but in some cases the complaints are to keep Judeo-Christian Scripture out of the country.
The Bible Society in Sudan representative said a port official has been more willing to consider releasing the shipment in recent days. Sudan links Christianity with the West and Christian leaders speculated that Sudan may be more open to releasing the shipment after the U.S. administration lifted sanctions Oct. 12. The sanctions had been in place since 1997 for Sudan’s terrorist ties and human rights violations. (MS)
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