Sudanese demonstrate calling to swiftly dismantle the former regime
October 21, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese took to the streets in the capital Khartoum and several Sudanese cities to express their impatience and called to expedite reforms and dismantle the former regime.
The rallies were organized by the Sudanese Professionals Association, the spearhead of the protests that overthrown al-Bashir regime last April, to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the first popular uprising against a military regime in 1964.
The demonstrators showed their support for the transitional government and urged to implement the demands of the revolution, including the dissolution of the former ruling National Congress Party, the removal of its partisans from public institutions, and to bring those involved in the bloody attack on the pro-democracy sit-in to fair trials.
Demonstrations took place in different areas of Khartoum state, and the cities of El Obeid and Attbara and other areas where the demonstrators carried banners, and chanted slogans demanding justice.
They shouted slogans such as “blood for blood, we do not accept blood money”, and “the people want to take revenge for the martyrs”.
Also, they condemned the government’s decision to not ban the activities of al-Bashir’s party and called to disband it and to confiscate its premises and assets.
Since the early hours of Monday morning, the army blocked the main roads in central Khartoum leading to the army headquarters before the beginning of the rallies.
The preventive measure was taken following calls by Islamist groups to organize a procession on the same day, to the army headquarters to protest the recent appointments and decisions aiming to dismantle the former regime.
As a result, the government deployed troops outside the army headquarters and at the four bridges in the capital triggering traffic jams in the centre of Khartoum.
The Sudanese Islamists who called to protest Monday failed to mobilize protesters.
Amar Alsajad a prominent member of the Popular Congress Party who called for 21 October protest issued a new call for a protest on 19 December saying the security forces prevented their protest.
In a televised speech on Monday evening on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the October Revolution, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok sought to respond to the demonstrators saying that the goals of December Revolution need greater efforts to be achieved and recalled that his government is formed only since one month and a half.
He stressed that his government was aware of the difficulties Sudanese are facing on daily basis pointing to the increasing inflation, lack of mode of transport stressing the development of practical proposals to solve the problem of transportation people will see in the coming days.
“The process of change is an ongoing process, and the revolution needs a growing effort to fully achieve its goals. The government and the people must protect it,” he further said.
(ST)
