Pro-Bashir rally in Sudan abruptly cancelled
April 10, 2019 (KHARTOUM) — The government and its allied parties called off a rally that was scheduled to be held on Thursday.
In a statement on Wednesday, the security committee in Khartoum State said it has refused to grant permission to the organizers “on the basis of the criminal code and due to the security conditions in Khartoum State”.
The pro-government coalition that includes that ruling National Congress Party (NCP) were planning to hold a rally under the title “Sudan Security and Stability” near the Presidential Palace.
Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir was supposed to address the crowd at the Martyrs Gardens which is several kilometers away from the army headquarters where thousands of protesters are holding a mass sit-in demanding the removal of the regime.
A few hours after the NCP mobilized its members to join the crowd, the government made the last minute cancellation decision.
In a statement on Wednesday night, the coalition said the rally has been postponed in response to the assessment of security organs, appeals from some political and social forces and out of respect for the law.
The statement called urged members of the coalition to remain in a high state of readiness.
Deadly protests have rocked Sudan since December 19, with demonstrators holding nationwide rallies calling on Bashir to resign.
The government said 46 people have died in the violence, while other reports including ones from rights groups says at least 70 people have been killed. Also, dozens of demonstrators have been injured and hundreds arrested.
On Saturday, the opposition forces of the declaration of Freedom and Change on Saturday declared a general strike as well as an open-ended sit-in in front of the army headquarters.
Opposition sources say more than 600,000 people have joined the sit-in on Saturday pointing the numbers have increased dramatically on the following couple of days.
(ST)