Mr. Chairman, My Name is Elrayah Kakki. I belong to the Nuba minority of Sudan.
.
It is my great pleasure to stand here today as campaigner for the rights of the
Nuba people. I am indeed one of the lucky ones who survived the harsh unlawful
arrest and "incommunicado" detention ofthe early 90's in the Nuba Mountains.
Today the injustices have become wide spread and unprecedented.
Article 4 of the Sudanese Code of Criminal Procedure, ensures the humane
treatment of the accused and protection by the Police and the Attorney General.
Article 6 of the Sudanese Penal Code affirms equality of all the people before the
law.
However, in October 2015 the Public Order and Security Police raided an area in
Umdome locality, Eastern Khartoum where a Nuba community live. This was on
suspicion that alcohol was being produced, despite legal provisions permitting
non-Muslims to do this in their homes without selling to Muslims.
The police then started beating up every one indiscriminately and chasing them
down the river. Four people drowned in the Blue Nile as a result, and a child who
was left on the river bank was then thrown into the river to face the same fate. In
October 11th 2°15, a young man, confirmed to be a relative of the victims went
over to Umdome to trace the rest of his family. On arrival to Umdome, he was
branded a thief and surrounded by police and local people. The crowd treated him
inhumanely (by applying great quantities of chilli powder on his genitals
publicly), before taking him to the Police Station.
These acts demonstrate clearly the failure of the law enforcement in Sudan,
particularly when the victim or witness belongs to the Nuba minority.
I therefore, strongly underscore the importance of recommendations 20, 22, 23,
and 26.
I wish to make one final point. Recently, the Vice President of Sudan has made an
inflammatory announcement prohibiting any tribal: festivals in Khartoum,
thereby stereotyping the Nuba people. This encourages the targeting of Nuba
communities. Therefore in addition, recommendation 55 is especially important
as well.
I thank you.