Human rights activist detained incommunicado in South Darfur

Human rights activist Khattab Seifeldin has been detained by the authorities in Nyala, capital of South Darfur, since a military intelligence force arrested him in Menawashi on April 20 following his organisation of a project for the reading for change.

The celebration of the fifth anniversary of the project included the reforestation of the schools of Menawashi, as well as a seminar introducing El Hadatha magazine with other cultural activities.

An activist from Menawashi told Radio Dabanga that the ceremony was held after the locality police were informed of its purpose and time, but an intelligence force arrested him after the ceremony and later taken to the intelligence office in Nyala.

He said: “Since the day of his arrest, no one has been allowed to visit him and nor are his exact whereabouts known, whether in Nyala or the security service, nor has he been brought to trial”.

The activist called upon the authorities to immediately release him or bring him to trial if he is charged and allow lawyers and his family to visit.

The activist told Radio Dabanga that freedom of opinion, expression and education is a basic human right enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil, Cultural and Social Rights.

He described the arrest of Seifeldin as a violation of the national Interim Constitution and the law, and called on human rights organisations and all activists and interested parties to apply pressure to release him immediately.

West Darfur Chamber of Commerce leaders held

The authorities of El Geneina in West Darfur arrested the head of the Chamber of Commerce in the state Tijani Yousef Abakar and others and transferred them to Port Sudan Prison, against the backdrop of a dispute over the area of Gumeiza, 3 km east of El Geneina.

Sources told Radio Dabanga that the reasons for the arrest is that Abakar demanded planning the area of Gumeiza for nomadic pastoralists, while notables of the Masalit tribe are calling for planning the area for displaced people.

The sources demanded that the issue be resolved so as not to lead to renewed crises between communities in the state again.