UN urges Egypt to reopen probe on Sudanese refugees killing
April 27, 2007 (CAIRO) — A United Nations human rights panel on Friday called on Egypt to reopen an investigation into the deaths of 27 Sudanese refugees who were killed when police stormed their camp in Cairo in 2005.
The UN committee on the protection of the rights of migrant workers said in a report here that the Egyptian inquiry had been closed without clarifying the circumstances leading to the deaths.
“It also expresses its concern at reports that eyewitnesses were not heard in the course of the investigation,” the UN body said after a meeting here examining Egypt’s treatment of migrants.
“The Committee recommends that the investigation into the events of 30 December 2005 be reopened in order to clarify the circumstances leading to the deaths of the Sudanese migrants,” it added.
On December 29, 2005, thousands of riot police wielding batons and water cannon stormed a protest camp of refugees and asylum seekers near the offices of the UN refugee agency, leaving at least 27 Sudanese dead and hundreds injured.
The protesters had demanded resettlement in a third country, complaining of harsh living conditions in Egypt and discrimination against them.
Egyptian authorities said that the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had put enormous pressure on the government to end the protest.
Human rights activists in Egypt criticised the Egyptian police action and accused the UNHCR of failing in its role to protect refugees following the incident.
(AFP)