Sudanese minister condemns Egypt for the killing of refugees
16 January 2006 (NAIROBI) — A Sudanese minister condemned the killing of Sudanese refugees in Egypt last month saying “Egypt never became the second home but second graveyard for them”
At least 28 refugees killed after the Thousands of Egyptian riot police wielding batons and water canon broke up a three-month sit-in in central Cairo, killing at least 28 people, including12 children and eight women.
The minister of state for the interior of the government of national unity, brigadier Aleu Ayieny Aleu, has condemned the recent killing of Sudanese refugees in Egypt, the Sudan Radio Service said.
Speaking at the signing of the tripartite agreement among Sudan, Kenya and the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, UNHCR, on voluntary repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Kenya, Aleu termed the killing as a massacre and called on the Egyptian government to prosecute those responsible.
He said that the government of southern Sudan has reacted by expelling Egyptian nationals from southern Sudan. He added that the matter is still under investigation by the government of Sudan, the Egyptian government and the UNHCR.
“I was so much shocked to what happened in Egypt recently and that is why we are here so quickly because we do not want that to happen here. Even though the refugees in Egypt are different from refugees in other neighbouring African countries the people never walked to Egypt, they never cross the desert nor swam the Nile, they had entry visas from the government of Egypt, the minister said.
He further added “for several years they were never treated like refugees, Egypt never became the second home but second graveyard for them”.
In an emergency meeting on January 5, the Southern Sudan cabinet condemned the massacre in the strongest terms and resolved to form a ministerial sub-committee to persuade Sudanese refugees in Egypt to return home because peace now prevails in the country.
(SRS/ST)