EU urges Sudanese government to probe killing of protestors

September 22, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – European Union (EU) ambassadors in Khartoum called upon the Sudanese government to conduct an independent investigation into the deadly protests of September 2013.

Demonstrations broke out in several Sudanese states that month following the government’s decision to lift fuel subsidies. Rights groups said that at least 200 people were killed but the government put the death toll at 85.

Following a wave of criticism, Sudanese authorities said they formed a commission of inquiry into the protests which were the deadliest of their kind against the regime.

However, the findings of the investigation are yet to be revealed.

Last month, the Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir directed the Ministry of Justice to compensate the families of victims of the protests.

EU mission in Khartoum said in a statement Tuesday that envoys of EU countries in Sudan have recently discussed the protests which erupted in September 2013.

“Ambassadors of EU countries have welcomed the government decision to compensate families of the victims and noted that justice couldn’t only be achieved by financial reparations”, the statement reads.

The statement added that Sudanese authorities are still far from conducting an effective and independent inquiry into the killings and other human rights violations which took place during the protests.

The EU ambassadors further renewed their call to the Sudanese government to conduct an independent investigation that holds the perpetrators fully accountable for their acts.

Earlier this month, the Chairman of the Security and Defense subcommittee in the Sudanese parliament and head of the investigation committee Ahmed Imam al-Tuhami, said that losses resulting from vandalism during the protests are estimated at 30 billion pounds (SDG).

He added that several cases have been filed by families of victims against policemen accusing them of opening fire on the protestors.

Al-Tuhami pointed out that the protests were carried out by students and ordinary citizens against lifting fuel subsidies, saying those protestors didn’t involve in the looting and vandalism.

“However, some saboteurs [protestors] took advantage of the protests to carry out acts of looting and theft”, he said.

(ST)