African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
(22 May 2013) An immediate, independent and impartial investigation must be undertaken by the Sudanese authorities into the shooting of nine students at the main campus of El Fasher University, North Darfur by Sudanese police, National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) and a student militia group aligned with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).
The students had attended a public forum on campus to discuss the recent disconnection of water and electricity supplies to the university and student residences. Their meeting was disrupted when at around 3pm, an estimated 70 student militia members reportedly wearing Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) uniforms and armed with Kalashnikov rifles, stormed the campus to garner student support for a government “mobilization” campaign against armed opposition groups operating in the country. The militia called on the students to join their jihad (struggle) 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.
When students attending the forum failed to respond positively to the mobilization calls, the militia group surrounded them, shouting abuse and accusing them of supporting the opposition. Students reportedly responded by throwing stones. The militia group started shooting into the air, and one female student, Mahadia Mohamed Ali, sustained a gunshot wound to her hand.
Joint operation of student militia group, police and security forces
Students attempting to flee the campus were met at the main campus gate by joint armed forces of the police and NISS which, together with the militia group, surrounded the students and fired live ammunition into the crowd.
Eight students sustained gun-shot wounds at the campus gate. All nine gun-shot victims were admitted to El-Fasher Hospital and are reportedly in a stable condition:
1. Mohamed Ahmed Omar, (m), gun-shot wound to his head.
2. Mahadia Mohamed Ali, (f), gun-shot wound on her hand, requiring surgery.
3. Resala Omer, (f), gun-shot wound to her ear.
4. Yasir Saeed Ali, (m), gun-shot wound to his head.
5. Wafa Mohamed Haroun, (f), gun-shot wound on her hand.
6. Alrashied Yahia Abakar, (m).
7. Tandur Bakhit, (f), gun-shot wound on her hand.
8. Humida Mohamed Youseff, (m).
9. Abdulrahman Abdalla Shatta, (m).
The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) calls on the Government of Sudan to:
- Order a prompt, independent and impartial investigation into the incidents at El Fasher University on 20 May, ensure that the findings are published within a clear timeframe. and hold accountable those responsible for abuses;
- Unequivocally and publicly condemn the excessive use of force by the police, and NISS;
- Immediately 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;
- 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.
Background
In late April the Sudanese government publicly launched a national “mobilization” campaign to garner public support for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) fighting against armed opposition groups in the country. The move has been reportedly made in response to intensified fighting between Government armed forces and the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of armed opposition groups, in South and North Kordofan. Whilst previously the fighting was concentrated in South Kordofan, it spread to North Kordofan in late April after the SRF attacked Um Ruwaba town.
On 20 May, Sudan’s Council of States (the upper house of the Parliament of Sudan) reportedly decided to suspend its sessions in order to enable Members of Parliament to return to their constituencies and lead a “mobilization” campaign against the SRF.
The 70-strong student militia group that attacked students at El Fasher University on 20 May had just left a meeting at the National Congress Party (NCP) house in El Fasher town, a meeting place for NCP members in North Darfur. The meeting had been convened to discuss strategies for mobilizing popular support for the ruling NCP and defeating the armed opposition groups.
Contact: Osman Hummaida, Executive Director, African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS).
Phone: +44 7956 095738 (UK).
E-mail: osman@acjps.org.
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