Darfuri student meeting dispersed by Khartoum police

Police in Khartoum dispersed by force a gathering for a speech by the Darfuri students associations of universities at the Faculty of Law of the University of El Nilein yesterday.

One of the student leaders told Radio Dabanga that the speech came in solidarity with the Darfuri students at Bakht El Rida University.

He stressed the students’ adherence to their position of returning the dismissed students to the university without any conditions and releasing all detained students or bringing them to a fair trial.

He said that the students asked the administration of Bakht El Rida University to provide a written apology to the Darfuri students at the university and adjust the situation of the students who have been harmed by the measures taken by the university administration against them or against their colleagues.

Today the students submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Higher Education demanding the return of the dismissed students from Bakht El Rida University, the release of the detainees and the need to investigate the reasons that led some university professors abuse the university students.

White Nile

In Khartoum, Abdelhameed Mousa Kasha, the Governor of the White Nile, said that there are political parties, he did not name, that tried to benefit from the issue of the students at Bakht El Rida University.

Kasha called for the maximum punishment to be imposed on anyone found to be involved in the case of Bakht El Rida University students.

Yesterday Kasha said at a news conference in Khartoum that his state would not allow any party to exploit the students’ issues for narrow party interests.

He explained that the issue is of the Sudanese students not Darfur, especially as the events resulted from running through the union elections which took place through students’ lists, an issue concerning the union of students of Bakht El Rida University.

'Armed movements'

The Darfuri students of Bakht El Rida University refute yesterday’s accusations by the leadership of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) that they are “affiliates of the armed movements” and called the accusations as bare lie.

After a meeting of the NCP Leadership Office which was chaired by President Omar Al Bashir, and which ended in early hours of yesterday morning, NCP Deputy Chairman, Engineer Ibrahim Mahmoud told the press said that the meeting heard a report about recent incidents at Bakht El Rida University “which were interwoven and executed by students loyal to Darfur movements that led to martyrdom of two policemen, and injuring of over 20 others, besides complete destruction of the Faculty of Education”.

The NCP ridiculed the demands of the students, who demand that dismissed students be reinstated to the university, and detained students released, stressing “importance of applying the University law and regulations”.

Mahmoud said this action by students has been rejected and condemned by the all political forces.

Student leaders

One of the student leaders told Radio Dabanga that the recent move of the Darfuri students of Bakht El Rida University was motivated by their awareness of their issues and has no relationship with the parties or armed movements.

He pointed to the increasing racial targeting of students.

He pointed to the broad solidarity of university students in different states with the Darfuri students of Bakht El Rida University.

He said that the arrest of 55, indictment of nine and the dismissal 19 students all of them from Darfur against the backdrop of the University Union incidents was the main motive for the recent positions, and said that the students’ recent attitude stems from the need to preserve their dignity and claim their rights.

He said that denying them access to Khartoum is a proof of the growing racism.

The student ridiculed the statements by El Fasher Commissioner, El Tijani Abdallah Saleh that claimed that the government monitored contacts between the students and Abdel Wahid’s movement and the presence of people from Blue Nile and South Kordofan among the students who arrived in El Fasher.

He described the statements of El Fasher Commissioner El Tijani, who spoke to the pro-government El Shorouq channel as “misleading and confusing”.

He said that the students are based on their own principles and awareness of the basic issues that cannot obey the leaders of movements and parties.

He affirmed that there were no students from other states among those who travelled to El Fasher; all of them were from Darfur.

Minister of Higher Education

Dr Sumaya Abukashawa, the Minister of Higher Education denied that she has received any request from Parliament to make a statement on Bakht El Rida University incidents.

Yesterday the Minister said in a report to the cabinet that she has not received any request from the National Assembly to make a statement on the matter and therefore media reports of her refusal to appear were incorrect.

The Minister confirmed that the regulations of the universities do not distinguish between students according to their regions and called for non-interference in the universities that represent the incubators of knowledge for practical life that prepares the students with the highest degrees of scientific and cognitive qualification without discrimination on the basis of religion or tribe.

The Cabinet affirmed its confidence in the institutions of higher education and its ability to deal with such imbalances in accordance with academic and educational regulations.