Sudanese students wounded in clashes with government militia over ICC

KHARTOUM
March 15, 2009 (ST)

Around a dozen students have been wounded by the Sudanese Para-military troops in southern Kordofan during a political meeting they organized to manifest their support for the arrest warrant against Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir.

The incident occurred at Deling University when student members of the United Democratic Front (UDF), a student organization supporting the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur organized a meeting inside the university to explain their support for the arrest warrant against President Bashir on Wednesday.

However, the meeting was interrupted by Popular Defense Force and Popular Police troops who made an incursion in the university and shot on the UDF who were on the podium to speak to the students crowed.

Three students were seriously injured by the police fire including Um Al Hussein Ismail Ahmed, Malik Abdel-Rahman Mohamed and Sharon Abakr Sharon. The Sudanese militias argued that the UDF is a banned organization and not allowed to hold public meetings.

Sudanese authorities, days before the announcement of the arrest warrant against Bashir, warned they would not tolerate any sympathy or support to the ICC move. However, universities students used to express their stances without fearing authorities’ reprisal.

Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur, the SLM leader, confirmed the incident to Sudan Tribune from Paris and condemned in the strongest term this aggression which according to the rebel leader “shows the panic” of the Sudanese government since the issuance of the ICC decision.

Last week the judges of the Pre-Trial Chamber I issued an arrest warrant for Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include murder, rape and torture.

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