More detentions days after US envoy’s visit to Darfur

(UPDATE 21:30) An appeal has been made for the release of six displaced men in Nierteti, Central Darfur, detained by security services just days after the US Special Envoy to Sudan spoke to displaced people in a Nierteti camp.

El Shafie Abdallah, the coordinator of Central Darfur camps, confirmed that six men are still in detention today. He told Radio Dabanga that several others may be detained too.

“Their detention on Sunday has to do with the visit of the envoy because it took place shortly after his meeting with a committee of displaced people,” Abdallah said.

Last Wednesday, US Special Envoy Donald Booth met with the committee in the headquarters of the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (Unamid). The 20 elders, women and youths were asked about their opinion of the ongoing peace process, the Darfur referendum that was held last April, the activities of humanitarian organisations, and the work that Unamid does.

Multiple sources told Radio Dabanga how the security service detained five displaced men. Adam Siddig of the Northern Nierteti camp for the displaced and Abdelkarim Adam Abdelkarim of the Southern Nierteti camp were held at the town's bus station on Sunday morning.

Nasreldin Yousef and Adam Mohamed, the owner of a welding workshop, were detained in the market of Nierteti. Ahmed El Tijani Abdeljabar Yousef was taken from a house in the Dar El Naeem district. An activist reported that members of the security service detained Adam Saleh on Sunday afternoon.

“The security authorities still are still pursuing Adam Hamid Adam, El Rasheed Mohamed Eisa and Ahmed Abdallah Omar,” the activist said.

'Nearly all men participated in the meeting with Donald Booth' – El Shafie Abdallah

According to El Shafie Abdallah, the wanted men all attended the meeting with Booth on Wednesday. Some of the six detainees did not attend the meeting.

Participants in Wednesday's meeting told Booth that the killings, rapes, arrests and torture by the government and its militias and the occupation of their land by new settlers are ongoing. They called for the new occupiers to be expelled from their lands, a participator informed Radio Dabanga.

Abdallah appealed to the Embassy of the US in Khartoum, Special Envoy Booth, and the Sudanese government to intervene and stop the detention campaign of people who attended the meeting in Nierteti.

“Bring them to a fair trial if there is a charge, or release them, and stop the ongoing prosecution of displaced people,” Abdallah said.