Sudan sommuns UNITAMS head over calls to refrain from violence
June 29, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese foreign ministry summoned the UNITAMS head to protest his statements about the need to avoid using violence to disperse the anti-coup protests of June 30.
On Wednesday, Volker Perthes called on the Sudanese authorities to ensure their commitment to protecting the right of peaceful assembly and protest before stressing that “Violence would not be tolerated”.
The foreign ministry Wednesday said that Undersecretary Dafallah Al-Haj Ali summoned Perthes to express the dissatisfaction of the government of Sudan with his statements about the anti-coup demonstrations on Thursday.
Ali “pointed out that his statements were built on preconceived judgments and assumptions condemning the law enforcement agencies in the country,” added the statement.
Amid the multiple calls and mobilizations to take to the streets on Thursday, the military authorities deployed security forces across the Sudanese capital.
They closed some streets leading to the army general command and the presidential palace. The same for the bridges linking the three cities.
In addition, the authorities ordered an internet shutdown on Thursday morning.
Sudanese legal groups including Emergency Lawyers, Darfur Lawyers Association, Nuba Mountains Lawyers Association Lawyers for Change, among others, wrote to the Attorney General and UNITAMS head about the risks facing the protesters.
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan head of the Sovereign Council Wednesday spoke described calls for protests on Thursday as “calls for demonstrations and sabotage”.
He further stressed that the armed forces will not compromise in their duty to preserve security and stability in Sudan.