Sudan arrests Islamists for holding protests hostile to Hamdok government
April 13, 2020 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese authorities Sunday arrested some Islamists who organized two protests calling to overthrow the transitional government on the backdrop of the economic crisis
Musa who is a leading member of a new group called the United Popular Movement organized two demonstrations on Thursday and Sunday to protest the living conditions in the country and the “neo-liberal” reforms undertaken by Hamdok government.
In a statement released on Sunday, the group condemned the arrest of Musa and twenty other people as well as two women who participated in Sunday’s protest.
“The movement declares its full rejection of this abhorrent repression that we announced its downfall last April (2019) when the spirit of the revolution defeated the lust for repression”.
The two protests by the Islamist group were organized under the health emergency measures banning gatherings and meetings. The police last Thursday surrounded the protest but did not disperse it despite the ban.
The Prime minister on Sunday evening issued an emergency decree imposing sanctions on people who violate the restrictive measures banning the spread of coronavirus.
The decree imposes 5000 Sudanese pound fine for every person violating the ban of public gatherings.
On Sunday the police dispersed a protest a women-protest organized by the United Popular Movement calling for the removal of the government of the Forces for Freedom Change.
Also, they chanted slogans such as “Down with neo-colonialism” referring the Western support for Hamdok government or “One army, one people” in a call for a military takeover.
The police said they arrested 30 women.
After a waging a campaign hostile to Hamdok government on the social media during the past months, the Sudanese Islamists try to use the endemic economic crisis and its consequent social stresses to organise protests paving the way for military intervention.
(ST)