Egypt: Investigate Police for Sudanese Deaths: Twenty Migrants Killed in Raid

Egypt: Investigate Police for Sudanese Deaths: Twenty Migrants Killed in Raid

[Washington, December 30, 2005] – President Husni Mubarak should urgently appoint an independent commission to investigate the use of force by police against Sudanese migrants demonstrating in a makeshift camp in Mohandiseen, Cairo, Human Rights Watch said today. At least 20 persons reportedly died.

“The high loss of life suggests the police acted with extreme brutality,” said Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East division. “A police force acting responsibly would not have allowed such a tragedy to occur.”

According to media accounts, a police force of nearly 4,000 officers surrounded the encampment of Sudanese refugees and migrants, fired water cannons into the crowd, and then entered in force, beating persons indiscriminately. The Egyptian Interior Ministry attributed the fatalities to “a stampede,” and said in a statement that “the migrants’ leaders resorted to incitement and attacks against the police.” Other reports said some of the protesters fought police with sticks and bottles. The dead reportedly included a girl who appeared to be about three or four years old.

The Sudanese migrants have been protesting outside the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees since September 29 seeking to be relocated to other countries. The evident planning of the police operation to clear the park in Mohandiseen suggested that the police acted on the basis of a high-level policy decision. Human Rights Watch called for an investigation that looked at all levels of the police command, including the role of Interior Minister Habib al-`Adli.

The use of force by state security forces is governed by international standards. The U.N. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials states that "law enforcement officials may use force only when strictly necessary and to the extent required for the performance of their duty." The U.N. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms provide that law enforcement officials “shall, as far as possible, apply non-violent means before resorting to the use of force” and may use force “only if other means remain ineffective.” When the use of force is unavoidable, law enforcement officials must “exercise restraint in such use and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offence.”

“The blood is still on the sidewalks, and already the government is blaming the Sudanese refugees and migrants,” said Stork. “Given Egypt’s terrible record of police brutality, an independent investigation is absolutely necessary to assess responsibility and punish those responsible.”
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From: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/12/30/egypt12353.htm
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SUDAN: Young offender at risk of execution: October 2005
Seventeen-year-old Nagmeldin Abdallah may be executed any time for the murder of a trader in the town of Al-Damazin, Blue Nile State, eastern Sudan. He was 15 years old when he was arrested and charged with murder in May 2003.
http://web.amnesty.org/appeals/index/sdn-011005-wwa-eng
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The humanitarian crisis in Sudan
http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/field/sudan/index_en.htm

Displaced child - Momoria IDP camp
Photo : Pietro Galli/AVSI

The long running conflict in Sudan between the Government and southern opposition groups has resulted in over 2 million deaths, and forced about 4 million people to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere in the country (Internally Displaced People, IDPs). Many other people have also been compelled to flee across the border into neighbouring countries (refugees). A chronic lack of basic services has made large numbers of Sudanese people dependent on emergency relief aid.

Despite the positive development of the cease-fire signed in October 2002 and the on-going peace negotiations, the humanitarian situation in large parts of Sudan remains precarious in both quantitative and qualitative terms. This is primarily due to the protracted character of the conflict combined with the frequent or prolonged occurrence of natural disasters such as floods and drought. The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is rarely reported in the international press, making it a ‘forgotten crisis’.

In the Government-controlled regions of Sudan, the most precarious humanitarian conditions generally occur in areas where active conflict is still common and humanitarian access is problematic (due to government restrictions on travel permits, transport difficulties, landmines). Recurrent displacement in these areas means that affected populations gradually become dependent on external assistance.

The European Commission is currently concerned about the looming humanitarian crisis in Greater Darfur. Other concerns include general food insecurity, protracted drought conditions in Red Sea State, conflict escalation in Eastern States, IDPs in Kassala State, insecurity and lack of access on the Ugandan border, a high incidence of transmissible diseases in Southern Sudan and a yellow fever outbreak in Eastern Equatoria.

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The humanitarian crisis in Greater Darfur, Sudan
http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/field/sudan/darfur/index_en.htm

Waiting for water - Darfur - Sudan: Photo : Peter Holdsworth

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur – one of the poorest regions of Sudan - has become the worst in the world since hostilities broke out in February 2003, according to the UN. The situation is still extremely worrying and most experts warn that it could deteriorate further. It is estimated that between 180,000 and 300,000 people have died as a result of this conflict. About 2,5 million people are affected by the crisis, which is more than a third of the total population of Darfur. 1,8 million people have been displaced inside Darfur, and more than 200,000 people have fled across the border into Chad. Serious violations of human rights have been reported by the UN and human rights organisations.

Relief organisations are still facing problems reaching people in need, due to insecurity, poor road infrastructure, the size of the territory affected (roughly equivalent to France), and the ongoing rainy season. Therefore, according to the United Nations, needs in most sectors (food, shelter, clean water, primary health care) are only being partially met.

The European Commission has urged the Government of Sudan to abide by its obligations regarding the protection of its own citizens. This includes actively disarming and prosecuting armed groups acting against civilians. The EC has also provided funds to organisations with an international mandate to protect vulnerable civilians. Following a ceasefire agreement between government and rebel forces in April 2004, the Commission agreed to provide €92 million to support African Union peace keeping efforts.

ECHO's response so far targets conflict-affected people in the Darfur region and refugees who have fled to Chad.
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Sudan press anger over Cairo deaths = Saturday, 31 December 2005
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4572008.stm
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/12/30/egypt12353.htm