Sudan justice minister orders investigation of Zalingei killings
Minister of Justice Mohamed Bushara Dosa ordered an investigation of the killings at the recent demonstrations in Zalingei. He issued a decision to form a committee to investigate the shooting citizens at the University of Zalingei last week during the visit of a delegation of the international and Arab mediators. Three people were shot dead by police during disturbances related to the visit of the UN and Arab mediators, and several others wounded. The Minister’s decision grants a period of two weeks to form the committee and make a final report. The decision has granted the commission broad powers to require any person to appear before it, and allowing it to issue an order to provide any documents it considers necessary for the purposes of the investigation. Commenting on the decision, one of the student leaders said the commission of inquiry should not be run by the government, and he proposed a committee that would be independent and impartial. He suggested an international commission of inquiry appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, who has already insisted on a full accounting of the events.The student leader pointed out that the security authorities began chasing students and indicting them, and decided to close the university, and evicted them from the university housing. He expressed his belief that these measures were intended to prevent the Commission of Inquiry’s access to witnesses. Sources told Radio Dabanga that the police and security services evicted students from their housing at the University of Zalingei before the expiry of the deadline set by the university administration. One female student told Radio Dabanga that the police gave the students 72 hours ending Wednesday to evacuate the housing, but returned and raided the place earlier in search of the students. The police and security services chased the students through the city’s neighborhoods and markets. He noted that some students have been taken from Zalingei to other areas.
Minister of Justice Mohamed Bushara Dosa ordered an investigation of the killings at the recent demonstrations in Zalingei. He issued a decision to form a committee to investigate the shooting citizens at the University of Zalingei last week during the visit of a delegation of the international and Arab mediators. Three people were shot dead by police during disturbances related to the visit of the UN and Arab mediators, and several others wounded.
The Minister’s decision grants a period of two weeks to form the committee and make a final report. The decision has granted the commission broad powers to require any person to appear before it, and allowing it to issue an order to provide any documents it considers necessary for the purposes of the investigation.
Commenting on the decision, one of the student leaders said the commission of inquiry should not be run by the government, and he proposed a committee that would be independent and impartial. He suggested an international commission of inquiry appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, who has already insisted on a full accounting of the events.
The student leader pointed out that the security authorities began chasing students and indicting them, and decided to close the university, and evicted them from the university housing. He expressed his belief that these measures were intended to prevent the Commission of Inquiry’s access to witnesses.
Sources told Radio Dabanga that the police and security services evicted students from their housing at the University of Zalingei before the expiry of the deadline set by the university administration. One female student told Radio Dabanga that the police gave the students 72 hours ending Wednesday to evacuate the housing, but returned and raided the place earlier in search of the students. The police and security services chased the students through the city’s neighborhoods and markets. He noted that some students have been taken from Zalingei to other areas.
and then