Photo: Al Jazeera

A group of protesters (file photo).

Omdurman — The Darfur Student Association claims that about 140 students were arrested on Tuesday, 11 December at the Omdurman Islamic University after protesters clashed with security agents and supporters of the regime. It was reported that dozens of students are missing and that about 180 students were injured as a result of the clashes.

The spokesman of the student association told Radio Dabanga that 450 rooms of Darfuri students were burned down in Tuesday's attack by security agents and supporters of the National Congress Party (NCP). He added that a number of 580 laptops and 290 mobile phones were looted from the students and estimated the value of the losses at 950 million Sudanese pounds.

The spokesman continued that some Darfuri students are staying with relatives or acquaintances but that many others are without shelter, in the streets of Khartoum. He said that security forces prevented fire trucks from entering the university compound to extinguish the fire as well as ambulances from picking up the injured students.

Serious violation of human rights

Furthermore, he asserted that security agents have continued to harass students on Wednesday at the university entrance. "The students were searched based on colour and features, which is considered racism; a serious violation of human rights", the spokesman said.

He appealed to the United Nations, human rights organizations, and the National Consensus Forces to act immediately and conduct a nationwide investigation, under the auspices of the UN, of the violations by police and security forces Darfuri students are exposed to in Sudanese universities.

Minister of Interior, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamed, accused political parties, without specifying any names, of inciting violence among university students. He added that the university needs to apply its regulations and the state has to apply the law 'on all who seek to incite violence at universities and beyond'. The minister also called for enabling university guards to protect the properties of the Sudanese people in different universities.

Associated Press reported that at least 10 students were arrested early Wednesday morning at the Omdurman Islamic University following clashes on Tuesday.

Amnesty International said in press statement on Wednesday that the government "must end its violent repression of demonstrations", while Human Rights Watch called on Sudanese authorities to investigate the death of the four Darfuri students.