The Sudanese authorities have arrested an unspecified number of people for inciting student demonstrations against the government in eastern and western Sudan, press reports said Friday.
The independent As-Sahafa daily quoted the acting governor of eastern Red Sea state, Major General Hassan Hamadain, as saying a number of "the agitators" had been arrested and "will be tried immediately."
He said an investigation had found that the student demonstrators had been incited to protest there Wednesday against the imposition of school fees.
Red Sea state Governor Abu Ali Majzub Abu Ali, who is now in Khartoum, charged that the opposition People's National Congress (PNC) was behind the student demonstrations.
In Fashir, capital of Northern Darfur state in western Sudan, the official SUNA news agency reported that the authorities have begun interrogating the instigators of student-led riots.
Rasha Abdullah Mohammed, 17, was killed and more than 10 demonstrators were wounded in the ensuing student-police clashes.
A local security source was quoted by SUNA as accusing pro-PNC members of the state's legislative council (parliament) of agitating for the students to take to the streets.
The agency said the demonstrators burned a number of government offices, including those of the radio station, SUNA and customs.
PNC leader Hassan al-Turabi did not explicitly deny that his party was involved but was cited Friday by Alwan daily as saying the student demonstrations showed the people's rejection of government policy.
He said deteriorating economic conditions with soaring prices and educational problems were to blame.
"I expect demonstrations ... in other areas, like the south and other outlying regions," Turabi was quoted as saying by Alwan, a newspaper which supports him – KHARTOUM (AFP)
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