Fur tribe members arrested in Khartoum and Zalingy

On Friday, 31 January 2004, the National Security Agency (NSA) arrested six
persons belonging to the Fur tribe in Khartoum and Zalingy, their details
are as follows:

– 1.. Dafa’allah Abdullah Suleiman, employee at the Agricultural bank in
Khartoum, arrested in Khartoum
– 2.. Abubakr Sharaf Al Din, high ranking Police Officer, arrested in
Khartoum
– 3.. Ahmed Hassan, employee at Bank of Khartoum, arrested in Zalingy
– 4.. Ahmed Al Tahir Ahmed Shata, arrested in Zalingy
– 5.. Tariq Abu Al Gasim Saif Aldin, graduate from the University of Sudan,
arrested in Khartoum
– 6.. Mohamed Abu Al Gasim Saif Aldin, final year student at the University
of Sudan, arrested in Khartoum

The latter two, Tariq and Mohamed Abu Al Gasim Saif Aldin, who are brothers,
were released on 3rd February 2004. They were questioned about their sister,
Eman, recent wedding to the rebel leader of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA),
Abd Al Wahid Mohamed Ahmed Al Nur. The other detainees were suspected of
supporting the SLA.

National security officers and the military intelligence in Darfur are
reported to have systematically used torture and ill-treatment against
suspected members and supporters of the SLA. Detainees have reported being
held in appalling, overcrowded conditions at security detention centres,
with very poor food and no access to their families or their lawyers.

Background

The situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate; approximately 670,000
people have been displaced within the region and up to 95, 000 persons took
refugee in neighbouring Chad and many killed due to the ongoing fighting in
the region.

Unfortunately, the failure of the peace negotiations in December 2003
between the GoS and the SLA in N’djamena, Chad, has led to the continuation
of the conflict in Darfur and the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian
situation in the region

All parties involved in the conflict; including government sponsored
militias and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), have resumed fighting.
Also, the new wave of arbitrary arrests can be seen as a response to the
failure in resolving the conflict.

Due to the GoS imposing severe restrictions on humanitarian relief
organisations the refugees are being placed in extreme danger. The GoS has
also restricted the media from reporting on the conflict from within Darfur.

SOAT condemns the arbitrary arrest of the above persons and urges the
Government of Sudan to:

1.. Take all necessary measures to ensure the physical and psychological
integrity of the prisoners.

2.. Order the immediate release of all the prisoners in the absence of
valid legal charges, or if legitimate charges exist, bring them before an
impartial tribunal and guarantee procedural rights at all times.

3.. Ensure that all the prisoners have access to legal advice

4.. Guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
including freedom of association throughout Sudan in accordance with
national laws and international human rights standards.

The above recommendations should be sent in appeals to the following addresses:

– His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir
– President of the Republic of Sudan
– President’ s Palace
– PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
– Fax: + 24911 783223

– Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin
– Minister of Justice and Attorney General
– Ministry of Justice
– Khartoum, Sudan
– Fax: + 24911 788941

– Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail
– Minister of Foreign Affairs
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs
– PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
– Fax: + 24911 779383

– Mr Yasir Sid Ahmed
– Advisory Council for Human Rights
– PO Box 302
– Khartoum, Sudan
– Sudan
– Fax: + 24911 770883

– His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim,
– Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva,
– PO Box 335,
– 1211 Geneva,
– Switzerland,
– Fax: +4122 731 26 56,
– E-mail: [email protected].

SOAT is international human rights organisation established in the UK in 1993. If you have any questions about this or any other SOAT information, please contact us:

– SOAT
– The Park Business Centre
– Kilburn Park Road
– London NW6 5LF
– Tel: 020 7625 8055
– Fax: 020 7372 2656
– E-mail: [email protected]
– Website: www.soatsudan.org