2 killed during commemoration of Sudanese revolution’s martyrs
May 11-12, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – Two people were killed and 37 others were wounded by bullets during the commemoration of over 200 civilians killed during a bloody attack on a peaceful sit-in outside the army headquarters two years ago.
Despite the army attempts to prevent holding the rally in front of the headquarters, thousands of Sudanese gathered at the site on Tuesday evening, calling for justice for the martyrs of the 2019 revolution that toppled the regime of Omer al-Bashir.
A spokeswoman of the Martyrs Families Organization accused the General Commander of the Rapid Support Forces Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti” and his brother Abdel Rahim RSF Deputy General Commander of the killing on civilians.
The circumstances of the attack of the protesters remain unclear as the troops deployed around the army headquarters remained calm and did not seek to disperse the participants in the emotional event.
The killing of the two youth in separate locations and the injury of 37 people were announced by the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors (CCSD) and confirmed by the Ministry of Health.
The investigation committee on the 2019 massacre formed by Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok failed to pursue its work, saying they need foreign technical support to verify the collected evidence particularly the video footage.
Nabil Adeed the head of the investigation panel stated this month in an interview with the Newsline Magazine that he had requested Hamdok to “expand his mandate but he is still waiting for his answer”.
The popular mobilisation on Tuesday’s rally has shown the huge challenge facing the Hamdok government. The head of the civilian cabinet is accused by his decorators of compromising with the military component of the transitional government on the issue of justice in Sudan.
Following the killing of the two people, Hamdok called for an emergency meeting with the ministers of the defence, interior, the general intelligence director and the governor of Khartoum state.
After the meeting in the first hours of Wednesday, the cabinet issued a statement saying the killing of civilians “cannot be tolerated or ignored”.
The Prime Minister asked the meeting to expedite the investigation into what happened and to deliver the wanted persons to justice immediately and without delay, added the statement.
Three hours later on Wednesday, the Sudanese army issued a statement confirming that a committee has been set up to investigate the use of guns against civilians.
“The armed forces confirm their full cooperation with the judicial and legal authorities to establish the truth. Also, they are fully prepared to bring to justice everyone who is proven involved in these events,” further said the military statement.
The CCSD called to dissolve Adeeb’s committee for its failure to investigate the 3 June 2019 attack and to form a new committee involving representatives of the martyrs’ families.
The Sudanese Professionals Association, for its part, called to refer the investigation to a special international commission or under the supervision of the International Criminal Court.
(ST)