Sudan opposition calls for more protests after Thursday’s bloody repression
January 18, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition groups of the Declaration of Freedom and Change (DFC) called for three protests on Sunday and Tuesday and Thursday based on its strategy of attrition of the security forces, while the government seemingly opted for the use of more violence.
On Thursday, the police and security forces violently clamped down on peaceful protesters and prevented them from reaching the presidency in Khartoum after deploying a huge number of security forces in central Khartoum.
In turn, based on brutal repression of protesters at any cost to prevent the formation of big processions that would ultimately become out of control, the Sudanese security forces used tear gas, rubber and live bullets to disperse them. Also, they cruelly beat the demonstrators when arrested.
Three people were killed and dozens wounded. In addition, hundreds of other protesters were arrested including journalists.
In a statement released during the first hours of Friday, the coordination of the DFC forces including the Sudanese Professionals Association, Gathering of Unionists in Opposition, National Consensus Forces and Sudan Call condemned the excessive violence and called to continue the revolutionary action Friday, and next Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday
The opposition maintained the traditional sporadic protests after the weekly prayer of Friday.
For Sunday, the protest will be in the popular capital of Omdurman with the same itinerary from Tijani al-Mahdi Hospital to the National Assembly. Also, it called for sporadic protests across the capital in order to ease the security pressure on the main demonstration.
On Tuesday, there will be evening protests in Ombada and Haj Youssef towns of Khartoum state together with other neighbourhoods across the capital to be announced ulteriorly.
For Thursday 24 January, the organizers called for nationwide protests called it ” step down processions”.
President Omer al-Bashir refused opposition calls to step down and warned against the reproduction of chaos and civil war that Syria and Yemen have been experiencing for several years.
Activists and opponents, on the other hand, say he has to follow the example of the former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and flee the country or hand over power like the former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
About 03:00 am, the Sudanese security forces used teargas and clubs to break out a setting organized during the night by hundreds of people who gathered there after the death of the protesters shot by the security forces in Burri on Thursday.
During the night, activists circulated videos showing the popular support for the demonstrators, as many brought them water and food.
(ST)