Darfur protesters at UAE embassy in UK demand release of their peers
January 20, 2008 (LONDON) — A number of Darfur refugees at the United Kingdom organized a protest in front of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in London today demanding the release of their peers held by authorities in the oil rich country.
The association of Darfuris in United Kingdom and Ireland handed officials at the embassy a letter outlining their demands. The letter alleges that the UAE authorities arrested Abakr Ali Adam and Sideeg Abdalla since October 2007 without charges.
Both Adam and Abdalla are still in prison according to the letter. Abdalla was arrested while transiting in Dubai International airport according to the letter.
Abdel-Jabar Sharaf Al-Deen the president of the association said in an article published online that the UAE has been targeting Darfuris in UAE and deporting them without justification.
Al-Deen said that the UAE government deported Gibreel Ibrahim CEO of Sky Leader air cargo corporation, Ibrahim Ahmed CEO of Luder Cargo and Abdel-Jabar Abakr CEO of Pamshi Cargo all of who are Darfur natives.
He also said that Dr, Hassan Wadi, Khaled Al-Hassan and Ahmed Suleiman were arrested for a month with no charges and then deported.
The Association of Darfuris in United Kingdom and Ireland said that actions by UAE will tarnish its image as a “peace loving and consensus building nation”.
Al-Deen hinted that the latest moves by UAE in harassing Darfuris are to appease the Sudanese government given the growing economic cooperation between the two nations.
UAE telecommunications industry has bought stakes in Sudanese telecom companies such as Sudatel. Earlier this month Emirates Telecommunications Corp (ETISALAT) said on Monday it took control of Sudan’s Canar telecommunications.
Also Dubai Islamic Bank unit Bank of Khartoum planned to buy smaller Sudanese rival Emirates and Sudan Bank according to press reports.
The UAE government along with many Arab governments has largely avoided speaking on the Darfur crisis as they consider it an internal affair of another Arab country.
Last month US movie star George Clooney, who has campaigned strongly to end bloodshed in Sudan’s Darfur, said that he hoped the United Arab Emirates could use its influence in the region to help end the conflict.
However there was no public response from UAE officials to Clooney’s call.
(ST)