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Sudan Tribune

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Sudanese opposition calls for international condemnation of violence at protests

protesters in Khartoum streets  chanting slogans hostile to President Omer al-Bashir's regime on 25 December 2018 (ST photo)
protesters in Khartoum streets chanting slogans hostile to President Omer al-Bashir’s regime on 25 December 2018 (ST photo)

December 30, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition alliance, Sudan Call, has urged the international community to stand in solidarity with the Sudanese people in their pursuit for democracy and condemn the violent repression of peaceful protests.

The government acknowledged the death of 19 people during the nationwide peaceful protests s while Amnesty International reported that 37 people were killed since the 19 December. Also, hundreds were injured while dozens of opposition leaders are under arrest.

Also, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said concerned by the bloody repression in Sudan and called on the Sudanese government to investigate the deaths during the ongoing protests across the country.

The Sudan Call Secretary for External Affairs Yasir Arman released a statement on Sunday calling for an international investigation into human rights violations in Sudan pointing that the death toll of protesters has reached 40 people. Also, he motioned that a student was tortured to death after his arrest.

“The international community cannot continue to conduct business as usual with the Government of Sudan after its brutal behaviour over the last two weeks,” said Arman in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

He further called for an international condemnation for the government’s deadly response to peaceful protests and to demand an immediate end of the killing of civilians.

“The international community needs to disengage from the Government of Sudan and raise the bar in pressing for democratisation and an immediate end to the wars in Sudan,” he said.

In a bid to quell the nationwide demonstrations, the government has ordered the closure of schools and universities and local authorities imposed emergency rule and curfews in several towns and cities.

However, the protests which began in response to the increase in bread prices and difficult living conditions now call for President al-Bashir to leave after ruling the country for 30 years.

The opposition official for foreign relations welcomed the call by UN chief investigation into the killing of peaceful protesters. He also exhorted to stop international cooperation with Khartoum over issued such as migration and counter-terrorism without fundamental change.

“We appeal to the US Congress and the European Parliament to pass resolutions, similar to the U.S. Sudan Peace Act of October 2002. The new resolutions should demand that the benchmark for any future engagement with the Government of Sudan must involve Bashir stepping down and an interim governance arrangement put in place to bring a just peace and democracy to Sudan,” he said.

Furthermore, he appealed to Washington to stop the second phase of discussions with Khartoum over the normalization of bilateral relations and Sudan’s removal from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Regarding the ongoing violations of human rights, the opposition alliance called on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Human Rights Council in Geneva to ensure an independent and credible international investigation is conducted into the killing of peaceful demonstrators in Sudan.

The Sudanese professional associations and political forces called on the Sudanese to take to the streets on 31 December on the eve of Sudan’s 63rd anniversary of independence on Monday.

(ST)

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