Sit-ins, strikes for release of student detainees in Sudan’s capital

At a symposium organised at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Khartoum on Sunday afternoon, a large gathering of students, alumni and representatives of the families of student detainees called on students to go on open-ended strike until the release of all detainees and response to all of their demands.

Several students were detained and others injured last week after protest marches turned violent. The students were voicing their protest at a decision against plans by the Sudanese government to move faculties out of the city to make way for tourist attractions.

Students marched on the Ministry of Higher Education on Wednesday, and students clashed with agents of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), who dispersed the crowd on Thursday.

One of the students told Radio Dabanga that 43 of the detained students were released while a number of students remained in detention on Sunday morning.

He added that the university is now witnessing a number of sit-ins and strikes from students in a number of faculties. “There is a call to enter into an open-ended strike until the release of all detainees and achievement of all student demands, including an apology from the Minister Tourism on the irresponsible and unethical statements he has made.”

Beating

On Saturday, the NISS subjected a number of activists, including Zeinab Badruldin and others, to a beating during a vigil near the modern medical centre in Khartoum.

Salah Mohamed Abdel Rahman told Radio Dabanga that the families of the detainees carried out a protest near the modern medical centre because the road to the NISS building was closed.

“The demonstration was attended by 70 to 80 family members of the detainees, mostly women.”

Abdel Rahman explained that his son was arrested together with 21 protesters from within the dental hospital and that all the detainees have been released except for his son and three others.