Rights group concerned at mass arrests in Khartoum
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch voiced concern onTuesday at mass arrests in Khartoum after an attack on Sudan'scapital by Darfur rebels and said it feared some people hadbeen tortured or killed.
Authorities were shaken by the attack, the first timefighting had reached the capital in decades of conflict betweenthe traditionally Arab-dominated central government and rebelsfrom far-flung regions in the oil-producing country.
New York-based Human Rights Watch urged the government toquickly try or release those arrested in the aftermath.
"The whereabouts of the majority of those arrested areunknown," it said in a statement.
"Human Rights Watch received unconfirmed reports that someof those arrested have been tortured and that at least twopeople have been summarily executed in public."
The SUNA state news agency said at least 300 people hadbeen arrested by Sunday, but many more have been arrestedsince.
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said all those connected tothe attack by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) would geta fair trial. Darfur rebels took up arms in 2003 complaining ofdiscrimination against the largely non-Arab region.
"The President... affirmed the provision of a fair trialwith the right to defence for all those involved in the brutalattack on Omdurman," SUNA said.
Darfuri human rights lawyer Saleh Mahmoud Osman said hisbrother was arrested on Sunday and he did not know where hewas.
"On public transport, even on the streets, people areidentified and treated openly in a harsh way because of theircolour or because they look Darfuri," he told Reuters,estimating the number of arrests in the hundreds but notthousands.
MOST PARTIES UNITED
Almost all Sudan's main political parties have condemnedthe attack on the western suburb of Omdurman, on the oppositebank of the Nile river to central Khartoum. At least 65combatants died in the fighting and a Sudanese security sourcesaid around 100 civilians were also killed or wounded.
Bashir held a rare meeting with opposition Umma Partyleader and former Prime Minister Sadig al-Mahdi after theattack.
But security forces detained opposition Islamist Hassanal-Turabi for over 12 hours on Monday for questioning. He andseveral other leaders of his Popular Congress Party werereleased without charge.
JEM rebel leader Khalil Ibrahim was once allied to Turabi,but both deny any links now. Turabi's party has said it willhave to meet before it issues a formal statement on the attack.
Burnt out vehicles and broken glass littered Omdurman'sstreets, recalling the destruction in decades of conflicts thathave scarred the south, Darfur and the east of Sudan but neverthe capital, which is enjoying the profits of an oil boom.
JEM's forces have retreated to the neighbouring Kordofanprovince since the fighting at the weekend. Ibrahim, who has aprice of $125,000 on his head, has said he will keep attackingKhartoum until Bashir falls.
Sudan has blamed neighbouring Chad for the attack and cutdiplomatic relations. Chad on Monday closed its border withSudan but denied any link to the assault.
Darfur's five year conflict has claimed an estimated200,000 lives and driven more than 2.5 million from theirhomes. Rebels from Sudan's multiple regional wars all feel thecentral government has marginalised their areas.
Khartoum blames the Western media for exaggerating theconflict and puts the death toll at 10,000.
(Editing by Matthew Tostevin)