Sudan security still holding two IDPs who spoke to UN delegation

Two Sudanese humanitarian workers are still being held by security forces weeks after allegedly speaking to delegation members of the UN Security Council. Abdullah Ishaq Abdel Razek, the supervisor of the nutrition program of the camp’s schools, and Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed Al-Haj, a driver, were arrested soon after the visit by foreign diplomats. The UN Security Council delegation, comprising diplomats and ambassadors of its 15 member states, spent two days in North Darfur, 7-8 October. They were led by US Ambassador Susan Rice and UK Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant. The two arrested men have been kept at an unknown place and have not been allowed access to lawyers or their families. The security authorities arrested Mohammed Abdallah on Saturday, 9 October, and they arrested Abdullah Ishaq on Monday, 11 October. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that Abdullah Ishaq was an activist at Abu Shouk who received threatening telephone calls from the security authorities before the meeting with the UN Security Council delegation. The authorities told him not to talk about the real security situation and humanitarian situation in the camps in Darfur. Sources said that Mr. Abdullah denied having anything to do with the Security Council and he told the security men that he was preoccupied with the process of the humanitarian inventory that was ongoing in the camp. On the other hand, the sources said that the driver Mohammad Abdullah was arrested due to a speech he made in the market of the camp while members of the Security Council were roaming about. His speech responded to questions from members of the Council about the situation in the region. Five sheikhs of Abu Shouk have also been detained for more than a year and a half.