Calls for investigation into Darfur student shootings

May 22, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – There are calls for Sudanese authorities to launch an immediate and independent investigation into the Monday shooting of nine students at Darfur’s El Fasher University by a student militia group, police and security forces.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS), the incident occurred as students attended a public forum on the main campus to discuss the recent disconnection of water and electricity supplies to the university and student residences.

The meeting was disrupted when at about 3pm, when an estimated 70 student militia members, armed with Kalashnikov rifles and reportedly wearing Sudanese army (SAF) uniforms, stormed the campus to garner student support for a government-led “mobilisation” campaign against rebel groups operating in the country.

ACJPS said militia members, who are aligned with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), called on students to join their jihad (holy war) against the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of armed opposition groups fighting the government in the states of South and North Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur.

SHOTS FIRED

After students rejected the group’s calls for mobilisation, ACJPS says the militia group surrounded them, shouting abuse and accusing them of supporting the opposition movement. When students reportedly responded by throwing stones, the militia group fired shots into the air, with one female student sustaining a gunshot wound to her hand.

Its statement said a further eight students were wounded while attempting to flee the campus after joint armed forces of the police and the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), sealed off the main gate and fired live ammunition into the crowd.

All nine gunshot victims were admitted to El-Fasher Hospital and are reportedly in a stable condition.

The victims – which included four women and five men – sustained gunshot wounds to the head, hands and ear.

ACJPS has urged the Sudanese government to order a prompt and impartial investigation into the incident, as well as ensure those responsible are held accountable.

It has also called on authorities to disarm student militia groups operating in Darfur and elsewhere in the country and put in place effective measures to protect civilians on university campuses from violence.

It said the government had a duty to protect the victims of these recent incidents from further violence or reprisals and ensure they have access to appropriate medical services.

“The government of Sudan has repeatedly failed to effectively investigate or publish the findings of committees of inquiry established to investigate similar excessive use of force by government forces and government-aligned militias against civilians, including on university campuses”, ACJPS said in its statement.

MOBILISING SUPPORT

In late April, the Sudanese government publicly launched a national “mobilisation” campaign to garner public support for the SAF fighting against armed opposition groups in the country.

According to the statement from ACJPS, on 20 May, Sudan’s upper house reportedly decided to suspend its sessions in order to enable members of parliament to return to their constituencies and lead a “mobilisation” campaign against the Darfur rebel group

Fighting between the SRF and government forces had been previously concentrated in South Kordofan, but spread to neighbouring North Kordofan in late April after rebels attacked Um Ruwaba town, in what was considered one of their boldest military offensives in years

ACJPS said that prior to the attack on students at El Fasher University, the militia group had attended a meeting convened on the same day by members of the NCP in North Darfur to discuss strategies for mobilising popular support for the ruling party and defeating armed opposition groups.

The shooting victims were: Mohamed Ahmed Omar, (m), Mahadia Mohamed Ali, (f), Resala Omer, (f), Yasir Saeed Ali, (m), Wafa Mohamed Haroun, (f), Alrashied Yahia Abakar, (m), Tandur Bakhit, (f), Humida Mohamed Youseff, (m) and Abdulrahman Abdalla Shatta, (m).

(ST)