Beja Congress: Appeal to international community to stop atrocities in east Sudan

Beja Congress in Europe

On the 29th Jan 2005 the Beja Congress, the sole representative of the tribes of east Sudan, has organized a peaceful demonstration in Port Sudan, demanding an end to the sufferings of the Beja people, democratic federal rule for the eastern region, the share of power and the natural resources and end marginalization of the region.

Many thousands of the Beja people gathered to participate. The “security” forces of Islamic Government opened fire into the peaceful masses, killing more than 27 persons immediately, wounding several hundred, thus performing a brutal massacre, the town has never seen.

This is a clear violation of the human rights, to the UN charter.

The Beja are a separate ethnic group, living in east Sudan. They have their own culture, language, history. And as such they constitute a different ethnic group. They have the right to have a federal rule for their region.

We, as members of the Beja Congress, appeal to the international community to intensify its pressure on the fundamentalist government in Khartoum to stop its atrocities against the Beja people, end its brutalities immediately, and release all Beja detainees. These should not be sent to the dreadful ghost houses, where the fundamentalist elements used to practise torture including electric shocks, amputations of genital parts, extractions of teeth and nails. The executors of this massacre should be punished.

Beja should have the same rights as the south of sudan got accordig to the agreement between SPLA and government.

We struggle for democracy, federalism, end of marginalization of our region, end the sufferings of our people. We are not second class citizens.

We demand the respect of the human rights and of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of demonstration in accordance with the international human rights standards