HUDO Centre PRESS RELEASE For immediate release (1st January 2017) DETANTION OF COMMUNITY LEADERS IN DAMAZEEN TOWN On 26th January 2017, the military intelligence (MI) in Damazin town arrested two local leaders in Blue Nile state due to their refusal to recruit young men to join Rapid Support Force (RSF). They were released after spending two weeks in custody. On Thursday 26 January 2017, the MI in Damazin arrested both the mayor/ Ramadan Ismail, who is one of Angasana community leaders and kakar’s village Shaikh/ Eisa Malik. They were arrested from their houses in Damazin. The MI interrogated them about their refusal to attract/convince their tribesmen (Angasana) to join the rapid support militia. They were later released on 10 th February 2017 without any charges or legal process against them. It is worth mentioning that the military and political authorities contacted the community leaders in order to mobilize and attract the young people to be recruited with RSF. That is where the community leaders’ opinions defer. Recommendations/ Appeals HUDO expresses grave concern about:  The coercive recruitment of young men from military and political authorities, using the community leaders to force them.  Putting pressures by Sudanese authorities on community leaders to compel them obey the order. End For further information please contact: +256755681320 Hudo2009@gmail.com