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On Thursday evening 16 August, two students were shot dead and 16 others were seriously injured at Gezira University, 115 miles south of Khartoum. The incident was sparked when non-Gezira students, militants of the Student National Congress (NC), marched in military uniform through the University campus chanting Islamic jihad slogans, and interrupted a political debate.

S V T G
Sudanese Victims of Torture Group
PRESS RELEASE: Monday 20 August 2001
TWO STUDENTS KILLED AND 16 SERIOUSLY INJURED.
The debate had been organised by an opposition group student of the Arab Nassrist Socialist Party. Gezira students from other opposition parties joined the ANSP to defend the stage and forum for the debate. Police and security officers became involved and joined the NC student militia,.A police car hit down one female student called Jihan Atif. This provoked further anger amongst the students.
Gunfire opened against the demonstrating students. Some reports suggest police opened fire while others indicate those responsible were the NC student militia.
Two students were killed in the shooting. Those were:
Mr Yahia El Hussain
Mr Mutasim Mohamed El Hassan
Both men were shot in the head and chest and killed instantly.
Sixteen other students were critically injured in the shooting. Mr Al Nazeer Ahmed Abdullah was taken unconscious to the hospital where his kidney and spleen removed.
Other injured included:
Mr Hamad El Tayeb
Mr Hafiz Osman
Mr Mohamed El Tayeb
Mr Imad Abdel Raheem
Mr Ali Abdel Kareem
Mr Salah Gasmelsaid
Mr Farouq Abdel Raziq
Mr Murtadah Ali Mahmoud
Ms Nargis Sid Ahmed
Ms Leemya Abdellah
Ms Nidal Abdel Aziz
Ms Zubeyda Abdel Raheem
Two students from the militant NC were also injured. They were: Hashim Abdel Raheem and Hoseyfa Ali Alkheir. Both men were from another university in Khartoum.
SVTG would like to confirm that both the University administration and the government have said they will investigate. However our experience has shown that such investigations are rarely pursued. Over last year at least 6 students have been killed, and many more injured and some have been tortured. On no occasion was investigation completed nor any perpetrators brought to justice. Instead the lawyers and families of the victims have been subject to systematic harassment to force them to drop the cases
1. SVTG strongly urges the government to investigate this incident, and to publish the findings of the investigation in order to show their commitment to finding the killers, and to bring the killers to justice.
2. SVTG strongly urges the government to put an end to the free hand given to militant student groups and Popular Defence Forces, which allows them to terrorise civilians and students and the justification that they are Mujahidin (fighting in God’s name) and therefore above the rule of law.

SVTG is an independent non-governmental human rights organisation, for further details on this press release or any other information please contact;
The Sudanese Victims of Torture Group
Park Business Centre
Kilburn Park Rd
London NW6 5LF
UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7625 8055
Email: [email protected]