Darfuri students assaulted in Khartoum
(Radio Dabanga) Students supporting the National Congress Party, backed by the National Intelligence and Security Services, reportedly assaulted Darfuri students at the University of al-Zaeim al-Azhari in Khartoum on Monday, 3 December. The assault followed a similar incident which took place at GeziraUniversity in Wad Madani on Monday after Darfuri students protested about payment of tuition fees. A student from the university told Radio Dabanga that the university administration refused to register Darfuri students with an exemption of tuition fees as stipulated in the Abuja agreement as well as the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. He explained that the students started a sit-in protest at the university center in Khartoum North (Bahri) on Tuesday in objection to the refusal. However, students supporting the National Congress Party allegedly attacked the Darfuri students with support of the NISS and militants.
Further Reading: http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/39267
84 Newspapers Prevented From Publishing This Year
(Al Midan) A statement published by Al Midan newspaper claims that the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have prevented approximately 84 newspapers from publishing since 3 May 2012. The report said that the prohibition has caused ‘substantial material losses’ as well as ‘political damage’ to the newspapers. Al Midan itself has been subjected to imposed censorship and ‘serious abuse’ by the NISS since 2007. The security services arrested 11 of its employees in February 2011. They were kept in detention but no charges were pressed against them. Al Midan said that the actions of the NISS to weaken the ‘other point of view’ are a clear violation of the country’s interim constitution and all international conventions and charters signed by Sudan. The statement said Al Midan repeatedly addressed the National Press and Publications Council, many other involved parties and even the president of the NISS about the ‘abuse’, but to no avail. Al Midan said it sent a memorandum to the National Commission for Human Rights, asking to perform its duties and stop the violations of press freedom.
Further Reading: http://allafrica.com/stories/201212050164.html
Finance Minister tables Draft Budget of 2013 before Parliament
(Sudanese Radio) The Minister of Finance and National Economy Ali Mahmoud will display the draft budget of 2013 before the National Assembly today Wednesday. The Council of Ministers reviewed, during its exceptional meeting Monday chaired by President of the Republic Field Marshal Omer Albashir, the performance of the budget of 2012 and the draft budget of 2013 where it adopted the draft budget and forwarded it to the National Assembly. President Albashir gave directives to keep on subsidy of basic commodities and not to increase customs and taxes in the budget of 2013, instructing the concerned authorities to study raising the wages of workers in the state in accordance with the financial and economic circumstances. The Assistant of the President of the Republic Jalal Yousuf Degair and the Minister of Finance Ali Mahmoud revealed that the draft budget was based on supporting production and productivity, encouraging and maximizing the value of exports, reducing of imports and reliance on internal resources.
Further Reading: http://www.sudanradio.info/english/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=1