No. H.K/UA/02/022
27th February 2023
URGENT APPEAL
ABDUCTION OF A CHILD FOR MORE THAN FOUR MONTHS FROM LAGAWA, SUDAN
On 14thOctober 2022, when Rapid Support Force (RSF) invaded Lagawa, a 14-year
old child was
kidnapped from his mother at home by attackers. The kidnapers are known and
they are
currently asking for a ransom from the child’s family. The family reported this
incident to police
and all the authorities in charge (security committee and political leaders)
but, no action has
been taken.
RSF invaded Lagawa town on 14th October 2022, in support of Misseriya tribe.
Some of the invaders
searched houses looking for specific persons of Nuba tribes. Mr. Eltaj
(Tajeldeen) Jammah Kowa (the
head of Kamda youth association) was one of them. On 15th October 2022, they
came to Eltaj’s sister
house searching for him, where they found his family and kidnapped his child
Jammah (14 years old)
in front of the mother and other family members.
Immediately, the mother went and reported to the Sudan Armed Force (SAF) and
the head of General
Intelligence Service (GIS) in Lagawa but there was no action. However, the GIS
head informed her
that, he knew about the incident (abduction) and that the child was with
someone called Elnayir Fadul
Hamdan.
On 4th November 2022, the child was allowed by the kidnapers to call his
mother. The child informed
her that he was held at a nomad camp.
Afterwards, the family was displaced with other Lagawa residents to Dilling
town. While at Dilling, the
father communicated with the security committee in West Kordufan State about
his child. But, there
was no action made yet the kidnapers kept calling via phones (the numbers are
available) asking for
ransom of five million Sudanese pound (about $10,000). The father later filed a
criminal case against
the abductors and an arrest warrant was issued twice against them. But nobody
has been arrested yet.
HUDO Centre is very concerned about the safety of civilians/ and calls
upon;
·
Sudan government to conduct thorough investigations in this case of abduction
of the underage
and the child should be handed to his family immediately.
·
The minister of interior affair should act and ensure that the kidnapers are
apprehended and
taken to courts of law.
·
The West Kordufan State government and security committee to execute their
duties towards
their citizens responsibly.
·
The national NGOs, lawyers associations, international organizations and UN
agencies to
urgently put pressure on the authorities to ensure freedom of the kidnapped
child.
More information
Lagawa is the capital town of Lagawa locality in West Kordufan State and it’s
located within Nuba Mountains.
On 14th October 2022, in support of Misseriya tribe, Rapid Support Force (RSF)
invaded Lagawa town and the suburbs
targeting Nuba tribes, they killed, injured, looted and burnt down their
houses. They caused major displacement of Lagawa
residents. There was no intervention from security forces to stop this attack.
The attack was triggered by the land ownership
dispute of Lagawa territory by Misseriya.
The name of the kidnapped child is Jammah Eltaj Jammah (student). His father is
Eltaj (Tajeldeen) Jammah Kowa (a trader
and known as the head of Kamda youth association). Kamda is one of the main
Nuba tribes in Lagawa. The mother (Ms.
Khadeeja Yagoub) witnessed the kidnapping process.
The father filed the case after the administrative order that was issued by
West Kordufan State allowing Lagawa’s victims
to file criminal cases that were committed against them.
The main defendant (one of the abductors) is called Elnayir Fadul Hamdan. He is
a policeman from Misseyia tribe working
at oil and mining police in Baleila. The arrest warrant was issued against him
and sent twice to his police office in Baleila
but there is no response up to date.
The affected rights: Right to life and safety, rule of law and child
rights
·
Articles (44, 48 and 50) Sudan Transition Constitutional Document 2019
·
Articles (6 and 26) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights read
with articles (3 &7) in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights
·
Articles (6, 35 and 37) Child rights