Britain expelling Darfur refugees

Dec 3, 2006 (LONDON) — Britain’s Home Office is under attack from human rights groups for expelling hundreds of refugees from the violent Darfur region of Sudan.

Among those refused permission to remain in Britain is Dr. Halima Basheer, 27, who says she was gang-raped by Sudanese soldiers for telling aid workers about the rapes of more than 40 schoolgirls, London’s Sunday Telegraph said.

She learned about the rapes because the girls were taken to her clinic, she said.

After telling the aid workers, Janjaweed militia soldiers went to her office, she said.

“They said to me: ‘You told those people about the rape at the school. Why did you do that? You are always talking about rape, but you don’t know what it is. We will teach you a lesson about what rape is.'”

The soldiers took her to a secluded hut and raped her, she said.

Britain has been highly critical of the Darfur situation.

But London also says it is safe to send “ordinary non-Arab ethnic Darfuris” back to Sudan, the Telegraph says, citing a Home Office position paper.

(UPI)