Residents of West Kordofan town threaten to stage sit-ins again
May 8, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The residents of Lagawa town in West Kordofan state threatened to return to the peaceful protest sit-ins if the government refuses to release activists who were detained during April’s general elections.
Lagawa community and youths said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday that Mohamed al-Hassan Ismail, chief of the Dago tribe, Abas Osman and the attorney, Yasser Ibrahim have been detained because they supported independent candidates in the elections.
The statement warned that Ismail suffers from asthma, saying the prison environment has exacerbated his health condition.
It added that Osman suffers from high blood pressure while Ibrahim is diabetic; stressing their detention poses great danger to their health condition.
The statement called on civil society organizations and the national and international rights groups to demand their release due to their health condition and social conditions of their families.
It also demanded the state’s government to release the detainees and asked the federal government to interfere to contain the situation, warning they would soon return to peaceful sit-ins had the detainees not been released.
Protests which have been continuing in Lagawa since last year are marked by wide participation from various sectors of the community particularly the youth, students and women.
Last month, the deputy chairman of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N), Abdel Aziz Helu, sent a message of solidarity with protesters in Lagawa, hailing their successful boycott of elections and called to develop actions to achieve popular uprising in order to overthrow the regime.
(ST)