One killed during NCP-SPLM clashes in Sudanese university

Feb 10, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — One Islamist student was killed and ten injured during clashes between students from the ruling party and the SPLM; the two groups traded accusations over the responsibility of the unrest.

A student was knifed to death yesterday and 10 other colleagues were wounded in bloody acts of violence which occurred between student members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and others belonging to Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) at Al-Nilayn University in Khartoum. Leaders of both parties exchanged accusations over responsibility for the incident.

The National Movement of Islamic Students (NMIS), pro-ruling NCP, accused students loyal to the African National Front (ANF), pro-SPLM, of killing the student Abdelmuiz Hassan Mohamed Ahmad Kunnah. Kunnah was a student at the Faculty of Law and was an NCP activist. However, SPLM students denied responsibility for the incident.

At a joint press conference yesterday held between the ANF and the Independent Student’s Conference (ISC) at the SPLM HQ in Al-Mugran, NCP students were blamed for violence erupting at the university.

The ISC secretary, Bakri Yousif, pointed out that tensions began last Monday 5 February when NCP students announced a ban on ISC student activities at the university “in a clear breach of the law and with not the least consideration for student practices at Sudanese universities,” he added. Yousif reiterated that the acts of violence yesterday began when NCP students attacked an ISC students’ group at the Faculty of Arts. He said the violence spread to the Faculty of Law where the same group of NC students attacked an ANF group.

A statement issued by the NIMS yesterday said they considered the killing of the student in cold blood would only lead the country to dissent and destructive war. The statement further pointed out that the authorities had to take responsibility for fighting the phenomenon of unlicensed weapons by putting the murders on fair trial.

In this regard, the head of Al-Nilayn University’s student union, Musab al-Nur has said that he condemned the student’s killing. He further pointed out that some students who were carrying firearms and riding on the backs of pickups had attacked the union’s offices which led to the injuring of six students.

Al-Sahafah has learnt that the authorities arrested six students in relation to the incidents and that the ANF has confirmed that police arrested three of its student members.

(ST)