Sudanese security blocks Darfur students outside Khartoum
July 19, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese security agents Wednesday have blocked hundreds of Darfurians students studying in the White Nile State outside the Sudanese capital where they intended to protest against punitive measures by their university.
According to the opposition sources, over 1000 students of University of Bakht Al-Ruda (UB) in White Nile State resigned from the university and decided to travel to the Sudanese capital to demand the release of their colleagues accused of killing two police officers during violent student clashes last May.
After failing to stop the protesters in Ed Dueim town where the university is located, the National Intelligence Security Service (NISS) blocked the protesters in Sheikh Alyacout area near Jebel Awliya south to the capital Khartoum on Tuesday.
Sudanese opposition parties and armed groups condemned the blockade of the university students outside Khartoum where they spent the night in the open. Amnesty International also denounced the bad treatment of the protesters and called to “protect them and ensure that their grievances are heard”.
Also, a delegation of the opposition parties visited the protesters and decided to provide them with the needed support. Further, they decided to form a legal committee composed of lawyers to follow up the issues of Darfur students.
The protesters demand the release of 10 students accused of killing the policemen. Also, they want the readmission of 14 other students who were expelled from the university.
During the recent years, the NISS used to target students from Darfur region and suspect them of supporting the hold out armed groups.
In a related development, the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) said the security services arrested the four-member delegation in Jebel Awlyia after their visit to the protesting students in the afternoon.
The arrested are Ibrahim al-Sheikh the former chairman of the opposition party and the member of the SCoP Central Council, Abu Bakr Yousef, the political secretary, Amani Malik, deputy human rights secretary and Mwahib Magzoub the party political secretary in Khartoum State.
On Wednesday morning, security agents arrested, Suleiman Khalifa Dinari, SCoP deputy head in Khartoum State. However, he has been released 5 hours after.
(ST)