Sudan arrests kidnappers of Chinese oil workers – minister
December 18, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese government has arrested all the kidnappers of the nine Chinese oil workers which had been abducted last October in southern Kordofan by a group claiming being part of a rebel group in Darfur.
Three Chinese engineers and six other workers employed by the China National Petroleum Corporation in Heglig, South Kordofan, were kidnapped on October 19. The head of the kidnappers, Abu Humaid Ahmed Dannay, who is also a Misseriya, claimed to be the chief of JEM in Kordofan.
Heglig lies near the line separating the former warring parties of north and south Sudan, in the Muglad Basin where most of Sudan’s proven oil reserves are found.
The minister of interior, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, told the National Assembly on Thursday that all the kidnappers were arrested. He also said that they would be brought to trial immediately, but he didn’t elaborate on where and when the arrest happened.
Three Chinese were killed by the kidnappers under unclear conditions following clashes with the Sudanese troops, according to the Chinese authorities. However Sudan dismissed the Chinese allegation but said the kidnappers reacted violently when a helicopter were monitoring their movement.
The head of the kidnappers Dannay said in a first time they were ready to release the 9 Chinese but asked the Chinese companies leave the area. “We don’t have any material demands. We want Chinese companies to leave the region immediately because they work with the government,” he said.
The Chinese oil workers in Sudan are blamed for ignoring local communities and devastating environment
Las November Sudan and China discussed the protection of the Chinese oil workers in Kordofan and southern Sudan and adopted some secret measures. After a call by the Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi to his Sudanese counterpart Deng Alor asking him to take substantial and effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel.
(ST)