Sudan: Violent repression of demonstrations of IDPs in Darfur

Case SDN 310506

Arbitrary detentions / Judicial proceedings / Extrajudicial killing / Ill-treatments

Geneva, 31 May 2006

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Sudan.

Brief description of the situation:

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of OMCT network, about the arrests, arbitrary detentions, ill-treatments and extrajudicial killing of internally displaced people (IDPs) following demonstrations in Darfur against the recently signed Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), which has yet to be signed by all parties to the conflict.

According to the information received, on 29 May 2006, security forces and central reserve police officers opened live ammunition on a demonstrating crowd inside Otash IDP camp killing Mr. Ali Musa Issa. The IDPs were protesting against the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) between the government of Sudan and a faction of the Sudan Liberation Army. The officers beat the IDPs and arrested three members of the Fur tribe, namely Mr. Abdella Ahmed Abdella (30 yrs), Mr. Ibrahim Abdella Sideeg (32 yrs), and Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Adam (48 yrs).

In a separate incident, on 29 May 2006, the security forces and police officers in Nyala, Southern Darfur, arrested tens of IDPs, including women, from Kalma IDP camp. The IDPs were arrested after holding a demonstration against the DPA. During the demonstration, the IDPs attempted to present a memorandum to the United Nations (UN) office in Nyala highlighting their concerns. On their way to the UN offices, security officers attacked the demonstrators. The officers beat the demonstrators with sticks and arrested scores of several of the demonstrators. Twenty-one of the detainees were taken to Nyala Wasat police station, where they were charged with offences under articles 50 (undermining the constitutional system) and 51 (waging war against the State). An unknown number of demonstrators remain in security custody and are facing no charges. The details of the persons in Nyala Wasat police station are as follows:
1. Mr. Ibrahim Sidig Ali
2. Mrs. Halima Adam Ibrahim
3. Mr. Yagoub Ismaeal Mohamed
4. Mr. Ismaeal Adam Ismaeal
5. Mr. Abdel Mounim Mohamed Khamees
6. Mrs. Fatima Adam Issa
7. Mrs. Hawa Shogar Ibrahim
8. Mrs. Zahra Abdella Ahmed
9. Mrs. Halima Musa Ateam
10. Mrs. Hawa Khamees Mohamed
11. Mrs. Fatima Ishag Idrees
12. Mrs. Halima Abdel Shafi Haroun
13. Mrs. Hawa Adam Ali
14. Mr. Abdel Majeed Ahmed Ishag
15. Mr. Telfi Hassan Karam
16. Mr. Ahmed Joumma Salih
17. Mr. Ali Abdel Rahman Abdel Mawala
18. Mr. Hamid Issa Haroun
19. Mr. Hussain Abaker Osher
20. Mr. Alsayid Soulieman Musa
21. Mrs. Kaltoum Abel Kareem Abdella
The International Secretariat of the OMCT expresses its deep concern over these events. In particular, OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned detainees and calls for an immediate and impartial investigation into their arbitrary detention.

Furthermore, OMCT strongly condemns the excessive use of force by the government security forces and calls on the government to acknowledge the major causes of this demonstration and to respond accordingly through raising awareness of the provisions contained in the DPA. The DPA includes many positive elements which once communicated to the wider public in the region will ensure a stable and secure environment for all Darfurians. Most importantly, it acknowledges the harm caused to the people of Darfur, in particular women and children, as a result of the conflict and notes that the first step for implementing the DPA is in addressing the “needs of the war affected areas, with special attention to displaced and war-affected persons” (article 108). In addressing these needs, the peace agreement creates the framework for several new institutions and restructuring of existing institutions to ensure a representative government as well as the provision of adequate compensation for the civilian population.

The International Secretariat of the OMCT further calls on the Sudanese authorities to respect the rights to freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, as guaranteed by international human rights law, in particular Article 20 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and Articles 21 and 22 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In addition, the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials provides in its Article 2 that “in the performance of their duty, law enforcement officials shall respect and protect human dignity and maintain and uphold the human rights of all persons”.

Requested Actions:

Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
1. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all the above-mentioned detainees;
2. Ensure the immediate release of all persons arrested in the absence of valid legal charges, and if such charges exist, ensure that they are given a prompt and fair trial, in which their procedural rights are guaranteed at all time;
3. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events and in particular into the death of Mr. Ali Musa Issa, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
4. Guarantee that adequate compensation is awarded to the family of Mr. Ali Musa Issa;
5. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses:

• His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, Presidential Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 783 223
  
  
• His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice-President, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 11 779977 / 771025
  
  
• His Excellency Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, Vice-President, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 10 25
  
  
• Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 78 07 96
  
  
• Mr Lam Akol Ajawin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs/External Relations, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 93 83
  
  
• Mr. Al Zubeir Beshir Taha, Minister of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Interior, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 77 93 83
  
  
• Dr Nafie Ali Nafie, Minister of Federal Government, Office of the Presidents People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 117 71 651/ 78 32 23
  
  
• Dr Yasir Sid Ahmed, Head of the Advisory Council for Human Rights PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 770 883
  
  
• Dr Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha, Advisory Council for Human Rights, Rapporteur, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 77 08 83
  
  
• Prof. Ali Mohamed Ali Shommou, The National Press and Publications Council, P O Box 11111, Osman Digna St., Khartoum East Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 19 25
  
  
• His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Mohamed Elhassan Ahmed Elhaj, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, Avenue Blanc 47, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, Tel: +41 22 731 26 63, Fax: +41 22 731 26 56, Email: mission.sudan@bluewin.ch / mission.sudan@ties.itu.int
  
  
• The Embassy of Sudan in Brussels, Mr. Ali Yousif Ahmed, Av. F.D. Roosevelt, 124, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Tel.: + 32 2 647 51 59 / 94 94, Fax: + 32 (2) 648 34 99, Email: sudanbx@yahoo.com

Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.

***
Geneva, 31 May 2006

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.