Sudanese hold sit-ins to express rejection of al-Bashir’s regime
January 27, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Hundreds of people gathered in the different cities of the metropolitan Khartoum in the squares indicated by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) to express their rejection of the regime of President Omer al-Bashir.
The peaceful sit-ins are part of peaceful nationwide demonstrations that started last December but the government continues to ignore the demands of the protesters and describes them as saboteurs.
Also, the security forces including riot police, National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) agents and the Popular Security militiamen of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) use lethal force against the peaceful protesters. The government admits the killing of 27 people but Amnesty International says the death toll reached 37 victims.
The activists released videos of their sit-ins which started at 03:00 pm and ended at 06:00 pm. Families and youth came out with tea and some collations while others came with their guitars and chanted revolutionary songs.
However, in Al-Khalifa Square in central Omdurman and Al-Mouled Square of Al-Thoura 8, the police fired tear gas to disperse the sit-ins. Also, the police used tear gas to disperse a spontaneous protest in Al-Sahafa area at the end of the sit-in.
No human casualties were reported by the organizers on Sunday.
In a related development, the Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) issued a statement on Sunday saying NISS agents arrested Iman Osman, the Editor-in-Chief of Al-Midan newspaper, the Sudanese Communist Party’s mouthpiece. In addition, they arrested four other journalists Musab Mohammad Ali, Tareq Ali, in Kosti, Adam Mahadi in Nyala and Amin Sinada in Port Sudan.
The security organs target journalists for their coverage of protests.
The SPA in a statement issued on Sunday evening welcomed the “genius” organisation and hailed the significant participation of protesters in the different sit-ins.
Further, the clandestine group which tasked with the organisations of the demonstrations called for new sit-ins on Monday but did not indicate the squares or neighbourhoods saying up to every group has to determine it.
The SPA, also, gave the protesters some recommendations to protect themselves such as to choose squares in the centre of the neighbourhood and have access to four streets to have the possibility to withdraw easily if they are attacked by the security forces.
There will be evening protests, on 29 January and the big weekly protest on 31 January.
(ST)