UN, UK warn against violence in Sudan

April 8, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and British Ambassador have called to avoid the use of violence against thousands of protesters who hold a three-day protest outside the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) headquarters in Khartoum calling on the military unseat al-Bashir.

In the early hours of Monday, the security services assaulted the protesters who slept in front of the army command headquarters in the Sudanese capital killing a soldier and a protester. The army opened its barracks for the civilians to protect them and clashed with the security agents.

In a statement released in New York, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General said Guterres is closely following the situation in Sudan.

“He calls for full respect for human rights, including the freedom of assembly, the freedom of expression, and the release of detained protestors,” Dujarric further said.

In the same vein Ifran Siddiq, the British Ambassador to Sudan said demands for change by Sudanese protesters “are serious and legitimate”. and called on the government and security forces to respect it.

” Peaceful protest a fundamental right. Violence must not be used to disperse the protests, nor should provision of food and water be blocked,” he added.

The decision to use violence against protesters was taken in a meeting of the national security council chaired by the ICC indicted President Omer al-Bashir.

Like the former Libyan leader Muammar al–Gaddafi, al-Bashir has no intention to go as he proposed to hold a broader dialogue in the country based on a process that he concluded in October 2016.

Siddiq concluded his short post on Twitter by saying “The world is watching”.

While, Guterres called for full respect for human rights, including the freedom of assembly, the freedom of expression, and the release of detained protestors.

(ST)