More Darfuri students, relatives detained in Sudan’s capital

At least eleven Darfuri students were detained inside their homes in Khartoum on Monday.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, a student reported that agents of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) detained the mother of “Mohsen”, student at Sharg El Nil College, when they did not find him at home.

“They took Fatima Mohamed Idris (50) with them instead, together with three relatives staying at her house in Umbadda, Omdurman, on Monday morning. The relatives are Medina Mohamed Abdelkarim, student at Sharg El Nil College, her sister Jamila, who studies at the Ahliya University in Omdurman, and a male student, of El Nilein University in Khartoum.”

He denounced the detentions of people “who have nothing to do with the clashes last week”, and of Darfuri students who were injured during the attack by student members of the National Congress Party (NCP) at Sharg El Nil College last Wednesday.

“Mohamed Bukhari Hasaballah and Ismail Mohamed El Zubeir, who are still recovering from their wounds, were taken from their homes too,” he added.

He further reported that Mohamed Abdallah Fangi, Abdelkarim Mohamed Yahya, and Gurashi Mohamed Shumo, students at Bahri University in Khartoum North, and Feisal Bakhit Abdelkarim of Sharg El Nil College were also held by security officers on Monday.

“Hafsa Abdelaziz Mohamed and her sister Marwa were taken from their home in El Samarab district on Monday too. They were released at 3 am this [Tuesday] morning.”

He explained that no one knows the real number of students held by the security apparatus, “because of the mass detention campaign, and the difficulties Darfuri students have in contacting each other in these circumstances”.

‘No access to universities’

The student further described the situation at the universities in Khartoum as “extremely difficult”.

“Large numbers of armed student members of the National Islamist Students Movement [the student-wing of the ruling National Congress Party] and security officers are occupying all the universities in Khartoum, preventing us to pursue our studies.”

Solidarity campaign

A student of El Nilein University told Radio Dabanga that the Darfuri students have welcomed the national campaign initiated by the opposition parties and civil society organisations to protect the students.

He called for urgent action on the ground. “Yet,” he said “the organisers of the protection campaign, despite its importance, do not have sufficient capacity to cope with these racist attacks. The Khartoum regime is deploying all its armed resources against the students.”

The Darfur Students’ Association (DSA) also lauded the national solidarity campaign launched by the opposition forces yesterday.

“We highly appreciate this great step, and we thank all the people participating in this support campaign,” the media officer of the DSA told Radio Dabanga.

He said that the campaigners, together with the DSA, will address the managements of the universities in the Sudanese capital, demanding them to resolve this crisis.