77 Darfuri students detained, two missing in Sudan’s capital

Government forces detained 77 Darfuri students during the raids on the Kararo compound of the University of Bahri, Khartoum North, last week. The Darfur Bar Association condemns the ongoing abuses against students of Darfuri origin in Khartoum.

After 33 students from Darfur were expelled from the Bahri University last month for not paying their tuition fees, the situation became tense. During a meeting organised by the Darfur Students Association on Monday, government forces stormed the campus, beat, and detained a number of students. On Thursday, government forces, together with student members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), torched a number of university facilities. A number of cars went up in flames too.

At a press conference organised by the Committee of Solidarity with the Victims of the September Demonstrations in Khartoum on Sunday, Bahri University student Yusri Adam Madani said that the NCP students tried to hold the Darfuri students responsible for the ravaging and torching of the buildings.

“Yet, the guards let in people in civilian clothes from outside the University. Those were able to set fire to the offices and the library, as well to seven cars belonging to University lecturers, without being stopped by anyone.”

Student Abubakir Mohamed Abakar called on the University Administration to suspend the lectures until a solution is reached for the Darfuri students.

Both hold the University’s Administration and the Darfur Regional Authority responsible for the intensifying crisis.

‘Forged accusations’

In a statement, released on Sunday, the Darfur Bar Association (DBA) strongly condemned the detentions of students of Darfuri origin in Khartoum, and the “systematic campaigns” against them at Bahri University.

“Numerous students attending a peaceful civil meeting on 22 December were detained on forged accusations. Ten of them were taken to El Doroshab Criminal Court on the same day. 16 other detained Darfuri students did not participate in any activity that would justify prosecution on criminal charges. They were ordinary students, present at the University campus at the time of the raids,” the statement reads.

According to the DBA, two Darfuri students disappeared. “Mohamed Hassan Mohamed was taken by security officers to an unknown destination. Saleh Awadallah Saleh was held by unidentified elements at El Doroshab bus station.”

The Darfur lawyers appealed to civil society organisations and human rights activists to declare their solidarity with the Darfuri students, and pressure the government for their immediate release.