Case SDN 180602.1 / SDN 180602.1.ESCRC
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Concern
Arbitrary arrest / Incommunicado detention / Risk of torture

Geneva, 18th July, 2002

The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information
concerning the following situation in Sudan.

New information

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Sudan
Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of
the arbitrary arrest and detention of 11 leaders from the Four tribe
by security forces in Zalingei, Western Darfour, on July 11th, 2002.

According to the information received, the leaders were all involved
in reporting recent attacks against the tribe by Arab militia, and
include:

Adam Abdel Rasool (teacher); Abdel Moula Aam Abdel Moula (farmer);
Gialani Omer (driver); Abdel Wahid Mohamed Ahmed (advocate) ;
Mohamed Ahmed Abdel Moula (teacher); Amir Bahr elDin (farmer); Abdo
Harran (farmer); Abdel Gabbar Abdalla (Ommda - tribal leader); Abbo
Hassan (Shartai - tribal leader); Abdel Karim Mohamed Abkr (Ommda);
Abdalla Muhagir (Sheikh - tribal leader).

According to the information received, no reasons for their arrest
has been provided, no arrest warrants were served and no charges have
been pressed against these persons. The report indicates that Abdel
Wahid Mohamed Ahmed is in a very poor state of health and only has
one lung.

According to the information received, a further four men were
arrested on July 15th, 2002, including:

Ali Shogar (health worker in Nartiti); Mohamed Abdel Rasool (teacher
and chairman of labourers trade union in Zalingei); Mohamed Ismael
(pharmacist at Zalingei hospital); Adam Ahmed (transport commission
agent).

According to the information received, none of the above detainees
have been allowed to receive family visits since their respective
arrests and OMCT fears therefore that they may be subjected to
torture during their detention.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the
physical and psychological integrity of the afore-mentioned
detainees, in particular Mr. Abdel Wahid Mohamed Ahmed, given his
reported ill-health, notably in light of the worsening human rights
situation in Darfour and the continuing persecution of the people
from the African tribes native to the region.

Background information

According to the information received, the recent spate of human
rights violations can be linked to the worsening of the socio-
economic situation in Darfour and the ongoing conflict taking place
in the province between the Four and Massaleet tribes and Arabs from
Darfour and neighbouring Chad. Confrontations between these two
groups have led to the destruction and depopulation of villages and
the displacement of a great number of people, who now suffer from a
shortage of food, security and shelter. As a result, crime has
reportedly increased, as the displaced are desperate to ensure their
and their family's survival.

According to the report, drought has severely worsened the situation
in the region, inciting conflict as tribes fight over the little
viable land that remains. The whole of Darfour is reportedly affected
and almost 1 million people currently risk starvation.

According to the information received, the Government of Sudan claims
that the conflict in Darfour is simply the result of inter-tribal
disputes centred on the competition for land between pastoral and
crop farmers in the area. The leaders of the Four tribe, however,
insist that the depopulation of villages, displacement of people, and
consequently the changes in land ownership are all part of a
government strategy to alter the demography of the region. So far,
56 Four villages in the region have been depopulated following
attacks by militia from Arab tribes.

According to the information received, although the authorities are
aware of the attacks by the Arab tribes, no investigations have been
launched into the events and the perpetrators of these acts have not
been brought to justice, despite a number of them having been
identified by leaders of the Four and Massaleet tribes. The fact that
these very leaders have now been arbitrarily arrested and detained,
tends to reinforce claims that the Government of Sudan is in fact
training and supporting the militia from the Arab tribes.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:

i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and
psychological integrity of the aforementioned detainees;
ii. order that these persons be released immediately in the absence
of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before
an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural
rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the
circumstances of these events and guarantee that those responsible
are brought to trial and that the penal, civil and/or administrative
sanctions are applied as provided by law;
iv. put an immediate end to the harassment of members of the Four
tribe;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental
freedoms, including economic, social and cultural rights, throughout
the country in accordance with national laws and international human
rights laws and standards.

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 11 783223 / 787676 / 771651
· His Excellency Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan,
Fax: + 249 11 779383 / 777268

If you are experiencing difficulties getting through to the fax
numbers mentioned above, please send your letters to:

· 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].

Please also write to the diplomatic representatives of Sudan in your
country.

Geneva, 18th July, 2002

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this
appeal in your reply.
Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT)
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT)
8 rue du Vieux-Billard
Case postale 21
CH-1211 Geneve 8
Suisse/Switzerland
Tel. : 0041 22 809 49 39
Fax : 0041 22 809 49 29
E-mail : [email protected]
http://www.omct.org