In the last week Sudanese aircraft have dropped high explosive shrapnel-loaded bombs on a village in the Bahr al Ghazal province, home to 20,000 Internally Displaced People (IDP's).

The Antonov bombers attacked the village on October 5, 6 and 8 and seem to have been timed to coincide with the arrival of the United Nations relief
plane which has to clear its landing with the Sudanese Government.

Fortunately there were no casualties, but lives of UN workers and IDPs waiting for aid were gravely endangered.

The recent thaw in relations between Sudan and the United States, which led to the lifting of the Security Council sanctions against Sudan, has not benefited non-Muslims suffering human rights violations in that country.

While the attention of the international community has been focused on events in Afghanistan, persecution seems to have increased in Sudan with Government leaders reaffirming their commitment to pursue a jihad against the people of southern Sudan.

In the north, the ruling National Islamic Front continues to subject Christian churches to pressures and restrictions.

The Khartoum State Government has occupied half of the headquarters of the Episcopal Church of Sudan and is insisting on taking the other half. It is also seeking to occupy the El Sahafa Christian cemetery.

Christians and their faith are constantly attacked on Sudanese national radio, television and newspapers, with Christians considering suing two newspapers for defamation.

Muslim converts to Christianity have been singled out for particularly harsh treatment.

According to news agency Compass Direct, Mohammed Saeed Mohammed Omer, a student who converted while studying in New Delhi, was arrested in Khartoum on September 22 at the instigation of his family.

He was beaten and tortured, having three fingernails pulled out in order to make him recant. He is now recovering from his injuries, but he faces an uncertain future.

A local source reports that four days later two other converts, Alladin Omer Ajjabna and Nasir Hassan, also disappeared from Khartoum.

Alladin Ajjabna was previously arrested and tortured in June and held incommunicado for three months.

Prior to his disappearance he had told friends he had been ordered to report to the security police in order to face the person who accused him of
apostasy.

Sudan has been torn apart by civil war in all but 11 years since gaining independence in 1956 and an estimated two million people have been killed
and five million people displaced.

Tina Lambert, Advocacy Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: "The Government of Sudan continues to wage war against its own citizens and
this latest bombing of innocent people underlines their intent. It is no coincidence that a state that harboured Osama Bin Laden before he moved to Afghanistan is inflicting terror on its own people. It is imperative that the international community does not continue to turn a blind eye."