Conscripted students' mothers demonstrate

A group of mothers whose sons have been sent to Sudanese war areas demonstrated in Khartoum on October 18.

The mothers, who gathered in front of the national council in Omderman, shouted slogans against the National Islamic Front (NIF) government and members of its parliament. They demanded the return of their sons to resume their education. Riot police were called to disperse the demonstrators.

Hassan Abdul Rahman, the NIF government's minister of defense, said that the student conscription policy will continue and no one, whatever his position, will be granted special favors. He said in a speech to the National Council that the students were given a holiday after graduation to inform the families. Later they were distributed to the various units.

The defense minister was called by a parliament member to explain the facts pertaining to the transportation of the students to the war areas, Al Khartoum daily said today.