Sudan activist: ‘Committee of Inquiry should include women’

Human rights activist and chair of the ‘No to Oppression against Women Initiative’, doctor Ihsan Fagiri, denounced the lack of any representation of women in the independent Committee of Inquiry that will investigate the Khartoum massacre on June 3, and other violent incidents against protestors throughout Sudan.

In a press statement on Tuesday, Fagiri said that women and girls paid a high price during the break-up of the Khartoum sit-in on June 3. They were killed and raped, and had their bodies thrown into the Nile. She also confirmed the suicide of three rape victims.

The activist said women should be represented in the committee to uncover all the heinous crimes against women and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The independent Committee of Inquiry will be headed by prominent human rights lawyer Nabil Adib. Senior advisor Osman Mohamed has been appointed as rapporteur, prosecutor Soheib Abdellatif as deputy rapporteur, and Ismat Taha and Ahmed El Tahir as members. Its task is to investigate the June 3 massacre and other human rights violations.

The Committee has the authority to investigate and identify the persons responsible for the break-up of the Khartoum sit-in on June 3 and those who were involved in it. It can summon anybody, including government officials and members of the regular forces, to give testimony.

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