Sudan’s professionals call for clear international support to protesters
April 9, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) which oversees the sustained protests to unseat President Omer al-Bashir has called on the International community to declare its obvious support for democratic reforms in Sudan.
The security forces have sought during the past two nights to break up protests outside the army headquarters in Khartoum as the demonstrator have successfully won the support at least of the army units that protected them from these attacks.
The SPA warned that the regime and its security apparatus intend to continue using excessive force against the peaceful protesters adding that the regime has demonstrated its rejection of political settlement and favours security solutions to ensure its rule.
“It is time for the international and regional community to listen to the voice of conscience and help speed up the inevitable democratic transformation in Sudan by giving it their clear support;” said the foreign relations committee of the Sudanese professionals on Tuesday.
“Further delay in doing so will lead to more casualties and the risk of instability. The regime’s attempt to manipulate the situation by offering to reopen the discredited national dialogue is a repeated tactic that is neither genuine nor acceptable,” further stressed the diplomatic committee.
When the protests erupted in December 2018, the international community showed reservations towards the protest movement and indicated its preference for soft landing approach.
Several Western diplomats said they fear instability in Sudan as al-Bashir kept repeating that he does not want to transform Sudan to another Libya or Yemen.
Thus the international silence encouraged the policy of open repression adopted by the regime. Bur, the protests continued as the SPA managed to continue the protests under various forms.
The Sudanese professionals urged the international and regional community to stop turning a blind eye to the ongoing situation in Sudan stressing they should “respond in an appropriate way to the crimes committed by Bashir’s regime”.
On Tuesday, the Troika countries urged Khartoum to respond positively to the demand of Sudanese people for a political system that is inclusive and has greater legitimacy.
“The Sudanese authorities must now respond and deliver a credible plan for this political transition,” added the Troika.
(ST)