Two arrested in Central Darfur, four Ba’ath members in Omdurman

Security forces arrested two people from inside the market of Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur and took them to an unknown destination today (Sunday). In Omdurman, Khartoum state, four members of the Sudanese Baath Party were arrested by the security forces. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, the coordinator of the Central Darfur camps morning reported that security forces arrested at 10am this morning displaced El Tayeb Abdel Malik and another, hitherto unknown person from inside the Zalingei market. The camp coordinator expressed his fear that the detainees will be subjected to torture. He demanded the immediate release of detainees or be brought to justice by a fair trial. He also urged Unamid to pursue the matter and check if the detainees are not ill-treated or torture. Ba’ath Party Four cadres of the Sudanese Socialist Ba’ath Party were arrested on Sunday during a campaign launched in public places in Greater-Khartoum in which party members present their opinion on current political issues in the country. The chairman of the Sudanese Committee for Solidarity with the Families of the Killed, Wounded and Prisoners, Siddig Yousif, told Radio Dabanga that the security forces dispersed a crowd of civilians attending the campaign of the Baath Party in front of El Tijani El Mahi hospital in Omdurman. The arrested are Salah Mustafa, Abdel Gadir Ahmed, Salah Ahmed Ibrahim, and Shibli Ahmed Ibrahim. Yousif said that the arrests are violating the Sudanese Interim Constitution. “The speech of President Omar El Bashir about a national dialogue and his decision to give political parties the freedom to exercise their party programme are made ridiculous by these kinds of arrests.” No restrictions In a televised address to the nation on 27 January, President Al Bashir announced his initiative for a national dialogue with all parties, including the armed movements. The national dialogue is supposed to discuss a four-point reform plan for Sudan: stoppage of the wars, a free political society, the fight against poverty, and a revitalisation of the national identity. During a round table attended by 83 political parties on 6 April, Al Bashir directed authorities across Sudan to enable political parties to carry out their activities without restrictions. Bashir also ordered the release of political detainees, and to enhance the freedom of the press. He stressed the government’s willingness to provide the rebels with a safeguard if they agree to participate in the national dialogue. File photo Related: ‘Sudan security agents block political forum’: opposition party (9 April 2014)