Sudan Organisation Against Torture

Human Rights Alert: 23 May 2005

Continual Violence at Kalma IDP Camp

On 20 May 2005, violent clashes between police forces inside Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Nyala, Southern Darfur State and IDP resulted in the death of a police officer and the injury of at least thirty-three persons including one IDP, Mr. Nasir Adam Mohamed Ali who sustained serious injuries after being stabbed by a police officer.

The incident began when police officers attempted to harass and remove equipment of women sellers in a small market inside the camp. Mr. Nasir reportedly intervened and was subsequently stabbed by one of the police officers.

In response, the IDPs in an organised manner using knives, stones, and sticks attacked and killed one of the police officers. The IDPs also set on fire the police car and number of aid agencies tents including HAC (Humanitarian Aid Commission), Saudi Arabia Red Crescent and the Norwegian Refugee Council.

On the following day, 21 May 2005, police officers arrested five IDPs, one injured in relation to the violence. The men were taken were taken to Nyala Wasat (central) police station and Security Detention Centre in Nyala where they remain in detention. Their details are as follows:

Nyala Wasat (central) police station:

Abdalla AlRahman, (24 yrs)

Abd Al Ghani Ismail (32 yrs)

Karam Aldin Ibrahim Zakaria (Injured, receiving medical)

Security Detention Centre:

Bashair Adam Suliman (38 yrs)

Abu Joumma Mohammed (28 yrs)

SOAT condemns the violence and the death of the police officer and calls on the government of Sudan (GoS) to undertake an investigation into the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice. In addition, SOAT urges the GoS to give assurances that the five IDPs will not be tortured or ill-treated.

SOAT calls on the government of Sudan to:

Take all necessary measures to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of all the detainees;

Immediately release all the detainees in the absence of valid legal charges, or if legitimate charges exist, bring them before an impartial tribunal and guarantee procedural rights at all times;

Ensure that all the detainees have access to legal advice

Immediately cease its campaign of intimidation and attacks on IDPs in the Darfur region and to respect international humanitarian law and to end impunity for crimes committed by the government security forces;

Guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of association throughout Sudan in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards;

The above recommendations should be sent in appeals to the following
addresses:

His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir
President of the Republic of Sudan
President' s Palace
PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 783223

Mr. Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Ministry of Justice
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 788941

Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 779383

Dr. Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha
Advisory Council for Human Rights
PO Box 302
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 770883

His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim,
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva,
PO Box 335,
1211 Geneva,
Switzerland,
Fax: +4122 731 26 56,
E-mail: [email protected].

SOAT is international human rights organisation established in the UK in 1993. If you have any questions about this or any other SOAT information, please contact us:

SOAT
Argo House
Kilburn Park Road
London NW6 5LF, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7625 8055
Fax: +44 (0)20 7372 2656
E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.soatsudan.org