‘Limited riots at university’: Khartoum police

The police of Khartoum released a statement today on the ”incident” this afternoon at the University of Khartoum. Two wounded students were transferred to the hospital, where one of them died. The Sudanese Committee of Solidarity with the Victims of the September Demonstrations confirmed that one student was killed, and others were wounded in attacks by security forces on Darfuri students at the University of Khartoum. According to the statement issued by the police of Khartoum “limited riots erupted this afternoon at the University of Khartoum, instigated by students from Darfur.” The police prevented the rioting students to go out to the streets, using tear gas. After the students’ return to the campus, the police stayed on guard outside the university buildings. There they learned that two students were wounded inside the campus. Both were transferred to a hospital, where one of them died.   The police then cordoned off the university buildings, and proceeded with taking all the necessary legal procedures concerning “the incident”. The police stressed in the statement that they will “make all-out efforts to uncover the circumstances of this incident and arrest the offenders”. The statement also referred to the existence of “elements of the armed movements among the students”. These armed movements are unlawful, and thus banned from exercising any political activity or rally, it said. “Any extension of their activities in the field is considered a hostile act.” ‘Live bullets’ The Sudanese Solidarity Committee’s chairman, Siddig Yousif, reported to Radio Dabanga that Darfuri students had organised a “speakers’ corner” at the university of Khartoum today (Tuesday) to discuss the latest developments in Darfur. “After the meeting was concluded, groups of men wearing civilian clothes entered the University’s campus. They were carrying batons, iron sticks, and light and heavy firearms. They fired tear gas, after which they started to shoot with live bullets. One student was shot dead.” “The Committee has been and is closely following the developments in the University of Khartoum,” Yousif noted. “We are still to receive more details about what happened. What we do know is that student Mohamed El Haj was wounded by a bullet in his shoulder. And that a large number of students was arrested by the security forces.”   Yousif stressed the necessity of an urgent investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the firing of live bullets at the students within the campus. “The perpetrators and those involved have to be brought to justice by a fair trial.” Photo: Darfuri students and their colleagues at the start of the march, 11 March 2014 (Radio Dabanga) Related: One dies as troops fire on Darfuri students in Khartoum (11 March 2014)