SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Radio Dabanga - Darfur's El Geneina massacre perpetrators attempt to escape prison

5/3/2021: Radio Dabanga - Darfur's El Geneina massacre perpetrators attempt to escape prison

Radio Dabanga report that Kamal al-Zein of the High Committee for the Management of the West Darfur Crisis said a bomb exploded as part of a prison escape attempt by suspected participants in the January 2021 massacre in Kerending displacement camp, al-Geneina, West Darfur.

Al-Zein questioned how a granite bomb could be smuggled into the prison, calling on prison administration to deal with the case, warning that a successful escape would “aggravate” matters.

He accused the Public Prosecutor of complicity for not lifting the immunities of those accused of participating in the massacre, “most of whom are Rapid Support Forces personnel.” He demanded that cases are transferred to Khartoum, warning that the absence of accountability would lead to repeated massacres.

He also spoke of “deteriorating humanitarian conditions in 25,000 shelters for the displaced,” calling for food and medical aid supplies and the immediate initiation of transitional justice in West Darfur.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Guardian – Sudan accused of masterminding lethal attacks on Khartoum protesters

5/3/2020: Guardian – Sudan accused of masterminding lethal attacks on Khartoum protesters, by Kate Hodal

 The Guardian reports that an inquiry by New York-based advocacy organisation Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) concluded that Sudanese security forces systematically planned and coordinated the June 3 2019 massacre which killed up to 241 pro-democracy protesters and injured hundreds more.

 According to PHR, authorities “purposefully pre-positioned” state security forces armed with tear gas, whips and assault rifles in the month before the protests began, and “intentionally targeted” medical personnel and facilities during and after the protests.

 PHR’s findings were based on interviews with 30 survivors, eyewitness accounts, and analysis of thousands of still and video images of the protests, among other sources of information.

 PHR is calling on UN member states to sanction the Sudanese officials responsible for the human rights abuses and for Sudan’s civilian-military government to include human rights, rule of law and accountability protections in the nation’s new constitution.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Radio Dabanga - Activists criticise Sudan’s committee tasked with purging remnants of old regime

5/3/2020: Radio Dabanga - Activists criticise Sudan’s committee tasked with purging remnants of old regime

 Radio Dabanga reports that activists criticised how the “dismantling” committees tasked with removing affiliates of Omar al-Bashir’s regime are formed.

 In February 2020, the federal Empowerment Elimination, Anti-Corruption, and Funds Recovery Committee in Khartoum issued a decision to form subcommittees in Sudanese states. Headed by the state governor, the subcommittees comprise of representatives from the Ministries of Interior, Finance and Justice, the Central Bank of Sudan, Sudanese Armed Forces, the General Intelligence Service and the Rapid Support Forces militia.

 Activist Jaafar Khidir told Radio Dabanga that many government agencies have not seen any change since al-Bashir’s fall, with “affiliates of the regime representing a majority in the Empowerment Removal Subcommittees, hindering their removal, the fight against corruption, and the recovery of stolen funds.”

 Khidir called on the federal Empowerment Removal Committee to review its decision concerning the membership of the subcommittees.