Sudanese stage a demonstration demanding justice for the revolution martyrs

December 3, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Thousands of people took part in a huge demonstration in the Sudanese capital on Tuesday demanding the formation of special courts to try the perpetrators of the bloody attack on the pro-democracy sit-in on June 3.

The peaceful processions organized by the “Families of the Revolution’s Martyrs” and Resistance Committees, under the slogan of “justice and retribution”, took place in the three towns of the capital Omdurman, Khartoum North and Khartoum.

The rallies which are backed by the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) mean to recall the transitional authority including its military component that wheels of justice should not spare anyone even those who are part of the current Sovereign Council.

The Khartoum protest started from the house of Abdel Salam Kosha, one of the over hundred protesters killed by a joint force of the Rapid Support Forces and the former National Intelligence and Security Services.

Police forces backed by elements of the Sudanese army set up barricades around the roads leading to the presidential palace and cabinet premises to prevent the crowd from reaching, before opening it later.

The demonstrators waved national flags, pictures of martyrs and chanted slogans demanding justice for the victims. Dozens of young people staged a silent pause in front of the army’s general command where the attack occurred.

Demonstrators called for the formation of a new committee of investigation that should include representatives of the families of the martyrs and to expand the investigation to include all the martyrs of the revolution and not only those killed in the attack on the main protest site.

Prime Minister formed independent committee head by the prominent lawyer Nabil Adib but families of several victims of the attack on the sit-in expressed dissatisfaction with the committee and called for the inclusion of their representatives.

The families of the martyrs call also to consider the attack on the sit-in a crime against humanity, the appointment of a special prosecutor for the victims of the revolution, under the authority of the Attorney-General and the establishment of a special court to be handled by the head of the judiciary.

Several times, representatives of the families of the martyrs accused the head of the RSF militiamen of ordering the attack but Hemetti who is also a member the Sovereign Council denied the claim and pledged to not obstruct the investigation.

The demonstrators handed over a memorandum to the Sovereign Council, the judiciary and the cabinet.

“We received the memo from the families of the martyrs. They demanded that the trial of the killers be speeded up,” said a statement released by Mohamed al-Faki a member of the Sovereign Council after meeting the protesters.

He reiterated the government commitment to achieving justice pointed to several measures taken by the government in this direction to prove its seriousness.

In statements to the Alray Alaam newspaper on Tuesday, the head of the National Umma Party Sadiq al-Mahdi said that brutal attack on the pro-democracy sit-in was ordered by a body tasked with its protection.

“a body responsible for the protection of citizens broke up the sit-in.”

He pointed out that his party suggested forming an international committee to investigate the attack on the sit-in outside the headquarters of the Sudanese army.

Sudanese health ministry at the time said 61 people were killed during the violent attack on June 3, while the FFC estimated the number of 128 people.

Also, the FFC said the then ruling Transitional Military Council bears the responsibility of the attack but the latter denied the charge.

On 21 September, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok announced the formation of an independent investigation committee on the attack on the sit-in but appointed its members on 30 October 2019.

The committee which headed by Nabil Adib is comprised of seven members, including a supreme court judge, and representatives from several ministries, as well as two independent lawyers.

(ST)