Sudan army storms Sennar campus, 14 students detained

On Sunday, Sudanese regular forces stormed the Abu Naama compound at the University of Sennar and detained 14 students at on pretext of violating the ban on political activity at the university.

One of the students told Radio Dabanga that the detained students were released on Monday, after being forced to pay a fine of SDG 500 ($10.50) per student through the court.

He expressed concern that the university administration would make decisions to dismiss the students.

He explained that the university administration issued decisions dismissing two students last week because of addressing at the compound, which was considered by the university administration as a violation of the ban on political activity.

Last week, members of the university police beat a student at the University of Sennar and filed two complaints of assault on public servants and public nuisance.

Witnesses said the student had filed a complaint against police who assaulted him.

Students dismissed

He explained that the university administration dismissed 28 students for non-registration on time before they retreat and oblige students to freeze the school year after registration or final dismissal in case of non-registration.

Last month members of the security apparatus beat and arrested a number of Darfuri students who participated in a gathering of students at El Nilein University in Khartoum.

Students who witnessed the raid told Radio Dabanga that a team of the Sudanese security service (NISS) and students who support the ruling National Congress Party stormed the gathering of students at El Nilein University. They were expressing solidarity with the students of El Gezira University, several of whom are still being held.

The attackers used tear gas against the crowd and beat students with crutches and plastic wires, a witness reported.

On October 9, the El Gezira Faculty of Business Studies witnessed a clash between students loyal to the National Congress Party and other students. The next day, angered students torched buildings in the faculty.

Days later students in Khartoum who had gathered to show their solidarity with the students of El Gezira University, were dispersed by security forces using tear gas and batons.

Clashes

In September this year, at least five students were injured at Sennar University in new clashes between students of the Faculty of Education and student supporters of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

A number of students told Radio Dabanga from Singa that the clashes were an extension of the events the faculty witnessed the previous week because of a dispute over the filling of forms for membership of the National Congress Party

Police and security services intervened by cordoning-off the student dormitories to break-up the clash.

As reported by Radio Dabanga at the time, seven students of the Faculty of Education of the University of Sennar were injured in an attack by student supporters of the ruling NCP in El Nujoumi dormitory in Singa.

All currency conversions based on the daily US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS)