Darfur students say their teacher is innocent, plead for his release

23/06/2010 13:38

Students in North Darfur made an appeal for their teacher, who has been detained for two months. Sheikh Abdel Aal, a koranic teacher of Abu Shouk IDP camp, was arrested but never charged with any crime. His students at Block 6 of the camp appealed to the North Darfur State government to release him immediately. Hundreds of young students and dozens of women have stopped going to school because they no longer have a teacher. The students told Radio Dabanga that Abdel Aal used to stay all day at the school and they think that their teacher is innocent.

Students in North Darfur made an appeal for their teacher, who has been detained for two months. Sheikh Abdel Aal, a koranic teacher of Abu Shouk IDP camp, was arrested but never charged with any crime. His students at Block 6 of the camp appealed to the North Darfur State government to release him immediately. Hundreds of young students and dozens of women have stopped going to school because they no longer have a teacher. The students told Radio Dabanga that Abdel Aal used to stay all day at the school and they think that their teacher is innocent.

A larger group of camp leaders at Abu Shouk were arrested in August 2009 in connection with the murder of the camp’s omda (mayor) and his wife. Yesterday the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur sent representatives to discuss with the governor the situation of 6 of 20 of these detainees, who have not been brought to trial.