‘Student militiamen’ arrest 17 Darfuri students on university campus

“Student militiamen” affiliated to the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) reportedly arrested 15 Darfuri undergraduates on Sunday at the Omdurman Al Ahlia campus and two at the gate of the University of Sudan, both in Omdurman. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that during the arrest, students were beaten and humiliated in a university mosque. They were later handed over to the security services, on university grounds, and taken to an unknown destination. A spokesman for the ‘Popular Front’ explained that four of its supporters were amongst the detainees, which include: Ibrahim Musa Hassan of the University of Omdurman Al Ahlia, faculty of Medical Laboratories, level II; Mawiya Adam Musa of the University of Omdurman Al Ahlia, faculty of Economics – Department of Business Administration, level IV; Mohamed Abdullah Al Abdulkarim of Sudan University School of Drama and Music, level V; Ahmed Abdurrahman Tahir, known as Obama of Sudan University, faculty of Music and Drama, level V. Several students have criticised the administration of Sudanese universities for “allowing students belonging to the NCP and its militia to enter university campuses in military uniforms, armed with weapons, to randomly and unlawfully arrest Darfuri students, who are beaten, insulted and humiliated.” They suggested to Radio Dabanga that “Sudanese universities are transforming themselves from centres of science and knowledge into ‘NCP militia camps.’” Students are appealing to universities’ administrations and civil society organisations to “stop such random acts.” File photo: An earlier student protestRelated: Darfur student convicted of inappropriate dress ‘abused in prison’ (14 June 2013) Student violence at Omdurman Islamic University in Sudan (4 June 2013) Sudan police kills student in his house in C Darfur –source (12 March 2013)