Sudanese clash with embassy officials in Jordan

A number of Sudanese asylum seekers sustained various injuries on Thursday evening in clashes with a delegation from the Sudanese embassy in Jordan.

Asylum seeker Habib Mohamed Adam told Radio Dabanga, that Jordanian police accompanied a delegation from the Embassy of Sudan in Amman that came to force the asylum seekers to sign a statement that they would return to Sudan. They refused to sign and clashed with Sudanese Embassy delegation. The Jordanian police intervened using tear gas and batons to break up the clash. He said the clash resulted in about 50 refugees injured, especially children and women.

The Jordanian government spokesman Mohamed El Momani said that 430 Sudanese were deported on Friday, and have arrived in Khartoum.

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, a number of Sudanese asylum seekers were injured – some seriously – in clashes with police in the Jordanian capital on 16 December, when they were transported to the airport to be returned to Sudan.

One of the deportees said that the deportation procedure of about 500 asylum seekers has been completed – the Jordanian security imposed tight security on the rest of the asylum seekers.

A spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Mohamed El Hawary said that the Jordan authorities only gave them two hours’ notice of the deportation decision. He explained that the number of those who were seized to be deported is more than 950 people, mostly from Darfur.

Speaking of the fate of the deportees after they arrive in Khartoum, Mohamed El Hawary said they are currently conferring with the Jordanian authorities to halt the deportation process, especially as the majority of the deportees from the Darfur region could be at risk if returned there.

The Sudanese refugees consider the decision by the Jordanian authorities to expel them as contrary to international treaties and conventions. They appealed to the international community to intervene and compel the Jordanian authorities to respect and implement international refugee conventions and norms.

Human Rights Watch said in a statement that what was done by the Jordanian authorities is in violation of international law, which prohibits governments to return persons to places where they risk persecution or torture, or treatment or inhuman or degrading punishments.

Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali El Sadig denied that the Jordanian authorities dealt improperly with the Sudanese asylum seekers.