Sudanese launch general strike
June 9, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese have started a general strike on Sunday to bring the military council to transfer power to a civilian-led authority, amid reports that a protester was killed in the morning.
Activists have finalized preparations for the general strike which has been launched Sunday the first working day after the end of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
The strike was declared on 3 June after the mass killing of protesters by the militiamen of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The streets of Khartoum are silent as many people report that the strike is very successful in their areas.
Also, air companies cancelled over 20 fights to Khartoum as people generally did not get to work.
Since several days activists have stepped up a campaign on the social media to mobilize all the vital institutions of the country to take part in the disobedience amid a wide response from citizens.
Also, due to the Internet blackout which continues for nearly a week, the activists, also, sent text messages and distributed small printed messages.
On Saturday, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which spearheads the protests, sent thousands of text messages explaining guidelines for escalating peaceful confrontation through disobedience.
The messages which stressed the peaceful nature of the protests call to close roads and to establish barricades, or to remain at home because “All the streets are full of blood, all the homes are saddened, and the whole country is sorrowful,” read the messages.
The number of messages until Sunday morning is expected to be more than 900,000 text messages signed by “Tasgot Bas” which means ” just fall, that’s all”.
The SPA said the civil disobedience should terminate only after the announcement of a civilian government.
Different important professional groups voiced their support for the strike, notably the Teachers ‘Committee, the Journalists’ Network, the Engineers Association, the Association of Veterinarians, the Democratic Alliance of Lawyers and the Central Committee of Pharmacists.
Also, several sectors, including aviation, oil, land transport and others, have responded positively to the call for mass disobedience.
If successful, this strike should lead to complete paralysis of life in Sudan.
The government for its part, since Saturday, deployed security forces
Rapid Support Forces were deployed at the intersections of Khartoum streets, as army forces patrolled the streets of Omdurman. While police and security personnel were deployed in Khartoum North.
The deployed troops are also directed to remove the roadblocks and barricades from the streets.
(ST)