Sudanese western rebels reportedly abduct thirteen civil servants

KHARTOUM, Jan 13, 2004 (SUNA) — The rebel movement of Darfur has recently abducted 13 employees at Shi’ria locality, including four girls as well as the executive director of the locality.

The secretary general of the African Council for Human Rights, Albino Deng, said abducting a civil servant while observing his duties under the pretext of partisan membership, was a terrorist act and a crime against humanity which entailed international intervention.

In this regard, Deng warned in a press statement the rebels of Darfur against adopting and running after false slogans such as liberating Sudan. He explained that the African Council for Human Rights would take legal actions against those responsible for this tragedy and bring them to justice before local and international trials.

He pointed out that carrying out an armed act under the slogan of liberating Sudan was useless, calling on Darfur liberation movement [Sudan Liberation Movement/Army] to release the detainees.