Sudan warns of opposition “plot” ahead of pro-detainees protest today
February 14, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan has warned against a “plot” by the opposition to wage an online campaign in order to “tarnish” the government’s image as activists plan to stage a protest today, 15 January, against the continued detention of anti-government protestors since last month.
However, the online-organized protests were crushed by the police who used tear gas and batons, and arrested dozens of demonstrators.
Two minor protests were staged in Khartoum this week by the mothers and relatives of the detainees, but the authorities had managed to contain them.
Sudan Media Center (SMC), a website closely linked to the country’s security authorities, on Tuesday reported that the Sudanese Communist Party and the Islamic opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) as well as the northern sector of the SPLM had agreed to coordinate efforts in order to mobilize public opinion and orchestrate an online campaign to tarnish the government’s image as a precursor to carrying out concerted demonstrations and sabotage in a number of towns.
The website quoted “informed sources” as disclosing that a coordinative meeting was recently held and a number of political cadres were tasked with “fabricating” reports on “government corruption” and “its links with imperial powers and Zionist circles” in order to undermine public trust in it.
According to SMC sources, the SPLM’s northern sector had pledged to provide the necessary funds and manpower to make the plan succeed while the PCP had pledged to mobilize “Darfur groups.”
The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in North Sudan has repeatedly attempted to draw a link between the PCP, which is led by the detained Islamist leader Hassan Al-Turabi, and rebel groups in Darfur, especially the Justice and Equality Movement.
Meanwhile, opposition activists are calling for another protest on Tuesday against the detention of the activists since January. The protest comes amid claims by the opposition that the detainees were being tortured and are planning to stage a hunger strike.
A Facebook-based group has been created to invite people to participate in the protest but the group seems to be gaining little traction with only 155 people confirming attendance.
Political tension is heightening in North Sudan as the country grapples with the economic fallout from the secession of the oil-producing Nouth Sudan.
(ST)