East Sudan detainees begin hunger strike

KHARTOUM, Feb 4 (Reuters) – About 25 people are beginning a hunger strike after being detained while demonstrating against armed forces who opened fire on a march in Sudan’s east, activists said on Friday.

They hope to force the authorities to either charge or release them.

Government forces opened fire on a march in Port Sudan last Saturday killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 40.

Dozens of people have since been held by state security forces without charge including Abdullah Moussa Abdullah, the Port Sudan secretary-general of a political party called the Beja Congress.

Demonstrations also followed in the east’s other main town, Kassala.

“All the 25 detainees here in Kassala have decided to go on hunger strike until the security forces turn them over to the police and charge them, or they release them,” said student activist Saleh Mohamed Saleh.

“Of course there are still dozens detained in Port Sudan and we do not know exactly how many,” he added.

Like many of the outlying regions of Africa’s largest country, the east complains of neglect from central government and wants more of a share in wealth and power.

The Beja Congress has a military wing which has carried out minor operations against the government in the east.