Sudanese authorities arrest 10 leading opposition members
December 27, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese security service on Thursday evening arrested ten opposition leaders ahead of protests announced for Friday afternoon and the announcement of a joint coordination committee between all the opposition groups.
Calls for regime change during Tuesday’s demonstrations in the capital Khartoum organized by professions unions marked a turning point in the nature of protests which a started as spontaneous popular reactions in the provinces to the increase of bread prices and difficult living conditions.
Aware this development the opposition groups, held a series of talks, putting their differences aside and agreed on Wednesday 26 December to set up “a coordinating committee to manage the joint action to continue the popular uprising and bring down the regime, dismantle (its apparatus) and liquidate the regime”.
Took part in the meeting, which was held at the premises of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) in Khartoum, delegates of the National Consensus Forces (NCF), Sudan Call alliance, Sudanese Professional Gathering, Republican Party, Centre Forces for Change, Intifada Forces, and Federal Alliance.
Hours after the statement, the opposition groups announced the arrest of ten leading members mainly from the NCF factions including Sudanese Communist Party, Ba’ath Party, Nasserist Party and Unionist Movement.
According to the statement, the detainees are Siddiq Youssef, Jamal Idriss, Mohamed Dia al-Din, Babikir Mahgoub, Tigani Mustafa, Mrs Rahamah Attiq, Fatehi Siddiq, Hamad Musa, Ahmed Hadra and Kamal al-Suni.
The opposition groups, according to the statement, called on the other political forces, civil society groups and national figures to join them to achieve a radical change, pointing they welcome their propositions over the agreed charters.
Activists recently circulated audio and written comment on the Popular Security which is known as a militia of the ruling National Congress Party. Also, they circulated videos showing these militiamen opening fire on the peaceful protesters.
The Sudanese government on Thursday reviewed the number of people killed during the protests saying it reached 19 victims. Initially, it sail only eight were killed.
(ST)