Trouble at Dilling University

It was reported that on the 11th of April 2005 the students at the University of Dilling went on the rampage burning and destroying university properties including the Chancellor's Office and the computer department. This riot took place when the Chancellor, Dr. Khamis Kojo Kunda announced the result of students' election declaring the National Congress Party's students as the winners. The students accused the Chancellor of election forgery, because it is known to everybody that the alliance students from Umma Party, SPLM and Justice and Equality Party and other parties were well ahead of the National Congress Party. This sad event led to the death of one student from Darfur and many were injured. It was said that the National Congress students came to the university armed and they are the ones who opened fire on the students and killed one of them. When the security men arrived at the scene they failed to take action, as they were in support of the National Congress students. In addition, the Governor of South Kordofan was also negative and did not try to calm the situation, instead he inflamed the situation by his negative words.

The security men made the situation even more tense by making a false announcement that the SPLA force was on its way to Dilling. As a result the armed forces were called in.

We do not know whether there will be inquiry on this case of alleged election fraud or not. We believe that it is important that any enquiry should be made public and how such forgery is allowed to happen at the university. A similar situation was about to take place at the Al-Ahliya University as the students at the election were threatened and the riot was imminent.. But the authority decided to close the university. This event happened just a week after the Dilling University incident.

The events at both Dilling University and Al-Ahliya University are unprecedented and are clear indications that there will be no democracy in Sudan as long as the National Congress remains in power. The regime in Khartoum will try to hold on to power at any cost. People should learn from these two cases, that the price for achieving democracy in Sudan under this regime is going to be too high and they need to be prepared for a struggle if they want democracy to prevail in Sudan when the election comes in four years time..

Dilling University was established only few years ago and in fact this was originally an Institute for Teacher Training which was one three institutes in Sudan created during British rule in Sudan for producing teachers for intermediate schools. Instead of building a new and a proper university in the Nuba Mountains with all academic faculties, the institute was hastily converted into a university with no proper buildings or equipment. The name Dilling Institute for Teacher Training was taken down and replaced with the new name, 'Dilling University'. It has only art faculties of education and community development. There is no faculty of science, agriculture, veterinary and medicine which are all important for the region.