"I'm not a big educated person who knows a lot about genocide. I only know what I saw with my people. Genocide is not a word I even understand. But I know that children are dead, that 4,000 villages have been destroyed and that even visitors have been killed. I know there are a million and a half refugees in Chad right now."

Hari's way of speaking and writing is one of gentleness and kindness.

"People destroy and kill, but it doesn't affect the way I deal with other people," he said. "So, many children don't know where their mothers and fathers are, yet they still want to play. We have to help them be normal."

It was when Paul Salopek from National Geographic Magazine came that Hari faced his most severe test. Hari located a vehicle and a good driver to take Salopek into the refugee camps. They had to get through high water as they crossed the wadis, which unnerved Hari because he does not swim.

Salopek wanted to go into a particularly dangerous area and predictably they were captured by rebels who accused them of being spies. The rebels questioned them severely, then tortured them for long hours for several days. Finally, word spread throughout Africa that "three big spies" had been caught.

Since a member of the U.S. Congress was traveling in Africa, the U.S. government learned of the plight of the American journalist and tried to help him. National Geographic staff members were also using every connection they could think of to help one of their own.

Finally, the United States sent New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, recently a Democratic candidate for president, to negotiate their release with President Bashir of Sudan. He was successful, and Hari still regards him as "as one of my heroes. He took me and my driver to Khartoum, the capital. I hope Richardson will be president of the United States, but maybe he won't now!"

Hari said the worst experience of his life was to be tortured. "I told Paul I was lucky to be with American journalists." From there Hari went to the United States where he hopes to attend an American university and study "International Relations or maybe journalism."

He doesn't expect his book to cause him further trouble from the Sudan government. "It's only one book, although I hope the international community will read it. If I go back into Darfur, the government can do anything they like. They could capture me, but I don't plan to go back for a while."

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E-mail: dennis@desnews.com