Sudan seeks to quash political activity at Darfur campuses

The Sudanese government has indefinitely banned political activity at the universities of Nyala and El Fasher. This move prompted backlash from student political groups at the University of El Fasher, who announced their refusal to stop political activity. One activist told Radio Dabanga that the university administration “would be responsible for what would happen if it does not allow political activity.”The student said that the university is governed by emergency law. Student organizers received a letter from the Security and Intelligence that says the political activity at the university threatens the security of the country.

In Nyala, the security authorities arrested the university student and activist Ayub Abakr Khater at Al Malja market. The detained student is in his fourth year of law study. He was taken away by security men in a Land Cruiser as he was on his way to the university. His location at present is unknown. Other student activists are demanding his release.

These developments follow the arrest last week of 13 Darfurian student activists in Khartoum. Seven students from Khartoum University were arrested by the security forces in Abgazir in Souq Al Arabi, and six from Al Nilein university were arrested. One of the detainees of Nilein University was arrested not because he was a demonstrator but “just because he is a Darfurian,” according to a source at the university. The student reported that the security is refusing entrance to Darfurian students into the university campus.