Sudan News & Discussions

[Khafee]

China, Russia Block UN Action on Sudan as Western Powers Denounce Election Plan
Wednesday, 5 June, 2019

View attachment 7540
Sudanese protesters are seen near burning tyres used to erect a barricade on a street, demanding that the country's Transitional Military Council handover power to civilians, in Khartoum, Sudan June 4, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer

London - Asharq Al-Awsat

China, backed by Russia, blocked a bid at the UN Security Council on Tuesday to condemn the killing of civilians in Sudan after the United States, Britain and Norway denounced a plan by Sudanese military rulers to hold elections within nine months.

During a closed-door council meeting, Britain and Germany circulated a press statement that would have called on the military rulers and protesters to "continue working together towards a consensual solution to the current crisis," according to the draft seen by Agence France Presse.

But China firmly objected to the proposed text while Russia insisted that the council should await a response from the African Union, diplomats said.

Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said the proposed statement was "unbalanced" and stressed the need to be "very cautious in this situation."

The council met a day after nearly 40 people were killed when security forces ended a weeks-long sit-in outside the army headquarters in Khartoum by protesters demanding an end to military rule.

Army ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced Tuesday that he was scrapping a plan for a three-year transition period and would hold elections within nine months.

"By ordering these attacks, the Transitional Military Council has put the transition process and peace in Sudan in jeopardy," Washington, London and Oslo, which are active on Sudan, said in a joint statement.

"The people of Sudan deserve an orderly transition, led by civilians, that can establish the conditions for free and fair elections, rather than have rushed elections imposed by the TMC's security forces," they said.

"We call for an agreed transfer of power to a civilian-led government as demanded by the people of Sudan," the United States, Britain and Norway said.

Hours earlier, Moscow threw its support behind Burhan’s move.

“We welcome the statement by TMC head Burhan on the establishment of a technocratic government to govern the country during the transitional period and the holding of general elections in Sudan in nine months," the Russian Foreign Ministry said, adding that Moscow is against external pressure on Sudan.

According to analysts, Sudan is at risk of getting bloodier with more violence and chaos gripping the country.

Hassan Saouri, a political science professor at Neelain University in Khartoum, said the violence could spark more political uncertainty.

The northeast African nation could be headed "towards all kinds of chaos -- politically, militarily and societally," he told AFP from Khartoum.

"The chaotic scene could see younger military officers either joining the ranks of the revolution or backing the military council," he added.

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[Khafee]

Saudi Arabia, Russia watching Sudan with concern
Reuters
06 June 2019

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it is watching developments in Sudan with great concern and it supports continued dialogue between the ruling military council and the opposition.

Saudi Arabia has close ties to the council, which has taken control of Sudan since the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir in April.

Talks between the military and the opposition, which seeks a leading civilian role in a transition to democracy, have broken down. About 60 people have been killed in a crackdown on protestors by security forces since Monday, the oppostion says.

“The Kingdom hopes that all parties in Sudan will choose wisdom and constructive dialogue to preserve security and stability in Sudan, protect the people of Sudan from all harm, while maintaining Sudan’s interests and unity,” a statement on the official Saudi Press Agency said on Wednesday.

“The Kingdom affirms the importance of resuming the dialogue between the various parties in Sudan to fulfill the aspirations of the brotherly Sudanese people.”

Sudan’s opposition Democratic Alliance of Lawyers on Tuesday urged “some Arab countries” not to interfere in Sudanese affairs and to drop their support for the military council – comments apparently aimed at Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

Transitional Military Council Head Abdel Lieutenant General Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo have ties to the two Gulf states through the participation of Sudanese troops in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen’s civil war.

Russia said on Thursday it opposed foreign intervention in Sudan and the authorities in Khartoum must subdue what it described as extremists, Russia’s RIA news agency reported.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov was quoted as saying that Moscow favoured a national dialogue about a transition period leading to new elections.

“Naturally, in order to do that, you need for order to be imposed, and you need to fight against extremists and provocateurs who don’t want the stabilisation of the situation,” RIA quoted Bogdanov as saying.

“That’s the situation right now, but we are against any external intervention, the imposition of anything on the Sudanese,” he was quoted as saying.

He did not identify which groups he considered to be extremists and provocateurs.

Members of Sudan’s ruling military council are close to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while Russia has worked with Saudi Arabia’s arch foe Iran in several areas, including in Syria.

On Monday, security forces in Sudan raided a protest camp that had gathered opposition supporters calling for a transition to democracy. Medics linked to the opposition said at least 108 people had been killed in the raid and subsequent unrest.

Saudi Arabia, Russia watching Sudan with concern - defenceWeb

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it is watching developments in Sudan with great concern and it supports continued dialogue between the ruling military council and the opposition. Saudi Arabia has close ties to the council, which has taken control of Sudan since the overthrow of President Omar...

www.defenceweb.co.za

 

[Khafee]

In Sudan crackdown, bullets fly as doctors struggle
Reuters
06 June 2019
View attachment 7608

During the chaos of a deadly raid on Sudanese protesters at a pro-democracy sit-in in Khartoum on Monday, a man grimaced in pain as doctors sewed his ear back together with no anaesthetic.

He tried to help the man beside him, another victim of the worst violence since army officers toppled President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on April 11.
Sudanese medics linked to the opposition said on Wednesday that the death toll from the violence has risen to more than 100, after 40 bodies were recovered from the Nile in Khartoum. Official death toll figures have not been released.

“He didn’t flinch once because he was holding hands with a guy who was getting a bullet taken out of his calf and that guy was in pain,” said a young medical student who treated the two men and many others.

“He was shouting, screaming, passing out. Everyone was trying to calm him down so this guy was holding his hand, trying to steady him.”

The medical student asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals. Reuters could not independently verify his account of the crackdown.

Monday’s operation, when security forces stormed a protest camp outside the Ministry of Defence, was a major setback in efforts to create a democracy and rebuild a country plagued by rebellions, economic crises and international isolation caused by Bashir’s policies.

Talks between the Transitional Military Council (TMC), which has ruled Sudan since Bashir was overthrown, and the opposition have ground to a halt amid deep differences over who should lead a three-year transition to democracy.

The head of the TMC said on Wednesday the council was open to negotiations without conditions.

DAWN ASSAULT
The medical student and a university student who took part in the sit-in said a large number of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led the dawn assault.

The RSF, commanded by TMC deputy head General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, were accused by human rights groups of genocide during the war against rebels that began in Darfur in 2003.

Bashir’s government denied allegations that the Arab Janjaweed militias, later transformed into the RSF, had burned villages and raped and executed civilians.

The medical student first realized there was trouble at a barrier just outside the camp at 5 a.m. He heard bullets and saw people dropping as they ran towards him. He ran to a clinic at the sit-in.
“People were vomiting blood, choking on their own blood, drowning in it actually,” he said.

He and some doctors treated one man with a fractured skull. Brain tissue was spilling out, he said.
“He was punching and kicking. It took around five fully fit men just to hold him down while we stitched him, with barely any anaesthesia of any kind,” the student said.Most of the soldiers were young. “They didn’t look like they had any military training of any kind,” he said.

The RSF could not be reached for comment, but Hemedti, in comments to RSF members carried on state TV, said: “We issued a decision today to investigate fairly and transparently what happened at the sit-in.”

In a statement, the military council said the RSF had a strong track record of defending Sudan against terrorism, and said an organised social media campaign since Monday’s violence was aimed at “spreading lies” and “fabricating charges”.

The TMC said some RSF members were attacked and people had put on their uniforms to impersonate them.

The RSF lacks the discipline of Sudan’s regular army but has played a vital role in strengthening the position of its new military leaders.

The paramilitary force has also helped Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen’s civil war. Not long after the coup, those two oil powers pledged billions of dollars in support to Sudan.

CLINIC
The medical student received a phone call from a friend two hours after the trouble began. In the middle of that conversation, security forces opened fire on a clinic, he said.

Those inside had barricaded the building with a huge metal door, which was broken open by security forces.
“They broke the door down and started shooting. Everyone lay down on the ground, there were bullet holes across the clinic,” said the medical student.

After the shooting stopped a doctor came out with his hands in the air and said it was a clinic where patients were being treated.
“Even some of your soldiers are wounded and we have to treat them as well,” the student quoted the doctor as saying. “He convinced them and they stopped shooting.”

Sudan’s main opposition group has called for an international inquiry into what it calls a massacre. TMC head Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said he regretted the violence and it would be investigated.

The medical student and a friend took a patient to a hospital outside the protest camp. The patient was bleeding from his head.
“I was holding the patient’s head, trying to stop the blood from spilling too much,” the student said.

All around him were RSF members who were taunting him and others.
“We would say: ‘If we don’t get him to a hospital he will die’,” he said. “And they would say ‘he can die, so what if he dies’.”

A young university student, who also asked to remain anonymous, corroborated the medical student’s account of the shootings.

At first, about 30 RSF fighters entered the sit-in site. Then large numbers arrived and they swelled to over 1,000. Security forces were whipping people with rubber hoses and long wooden sticks, and kicking them, he said.
“People were dropping all around me after they were shot. Some people fled into buildings. The security forces followed them in and attacked them,” the university student said.

“I was almost shot. While all of this was happening I could see snipers stationed on several rooftops keeping an eye on everything.”

In Sudan crackdown, bullets fly as doctors struggle - defenceWeb

During the chaos of a deadly raid on Sudanese protesters at a pro-democracy sit-in in Khartoum on Monday, a man grimaced in pain as doctors sewed his ear back together with no anaesthetic. He tried to help the man beside him, another victim of the worst violence since army officers toppled...

www.defenceweb.co.za

 

[Khafee]

Saudi Arabia, Russia watching Sudan with concern
Reuters
06 June 2019
View attachment 7608

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it is watching developments in Sudan with great concern and it supports continued dialogue between the ruling military council and the opposition.

Saudi Arabia has close ties to the council, which has taken control of Sudan since the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir in April.

Talks between the military and the opposition, which seeks a leading civilian role in a transition to democracy, have broken down. About 60 people have been killed in a crackdown on protestors by security forces since Monday, the oppostion says.

“The Kingdom hopes that all parties in Sudan will choose wisdom and constructive dialogue to preserve security and stability in Sudan, protect the people of Sudan from all harm, while maintaining Sudan’s interests and unity,” a statement on the official Saudi Press Agency said on Wednesday.

“The Kingdom affirms the importance of resuming the dialogue between the various parties in Sudan to fulfill the aspirations of the brotherly Sudanese people.”

Sudan’s opposition Democratic Alliance of Lawyers on Tuesday urged “some Arab countries” not to interfere in Sudanese affairs and to drop their support for the military council – comments apparently aimed at Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

Transitional Military Council Head Abdel Lieutenant General Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo have ties to the two Gulf states through the participation of Sudanese troops in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen’s civil war.

Russia said on Thursday it opposed foreign intervention in Sudan and the authorities in Khartoum must subdue what it described as extremists, Russia’s RIA news agency reported.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov was quoted as saying that Moscow favoured a national dialogue about a transition period leading to new elections.

“Naturally, in order to do that, you need for order to be imposed, and you need to fight against extremists and provocateurs who don’t want the stabilisation of the situation,” RIA quoted Bogdanov as saying.

“That’s the situation right now, but we are against any external intervention, the imposition of anything on the Sudanese,” he was quoted as saying.

He did not identify which groups he considered to be extremists and provocateurs.

Members of Sudan’s ruling military council are close to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while Russia has worked with Saudi Arabia’s arch foe Iran in several areas, including in Syria.

On Monday, security forces in Sudan raided a protest camp that had gathered opposition supporters calling for a transition to democracy. Medics linked to the opposition said at least 108 people had been killed in the raid and subsequent unrest.

Saudi Arabia, Russia watching Sudan with concern - defenceWeb

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it is watching developments in Sudan with great concern and it supports continued dialogue between the ruling military council and the opposition. Saudi Arabia has close ties to the council, which has taken control of Sudan since the overthrow of President Omar...

www.defenceweb.co.za

 

[Khafee]

Sudan rebel leader detained
Reuters
06 June 2019

Yasir Arman

A Sudanese rebel leader who returned from exile after the overthrow of president Omar al-Bashir was arrested his organisation said.

Yasir Arman, deputy head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) group, came back last month and joined other opposition groups meeting military leaders according to local media reports.

Those talks ground to a halt, then fell apart after security forces raided a protest camp in central Khartoum on Monday.

Arman was detained by security services at his house in Khartoum, a spokesman for his group said, without giving any details.

No one was immediately available to comment from the security services.

Arman was sentenced to death in absentia for his part in a rebellion against Bashir’s government in the Sudanese state Blue Nile in 2011.

SPLM-N includes fighters who sided with South Sudanese rebels in decades of civil war fuelled by ethnicity, oil and ideology that ended in a 2005 peace deal.

They were left in Sudan when that agreement paved the way to the secession of South Sudan in 2011.

Sudan rebel leader detained - defenceWeb

A Sudanese rebel leader who returned from exile after the overthrow of president Omar al-Bashir was arrested his organisation said. Yasir Arman, deputy head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) group, came back last month and joined other opposition groups meeting military...

www.defenceweb.co.za

 

[Scorpion]

I think Saudi Arabia should send intel officers to keep a close eye on the situation should it slip away. Sudan is fertile place for Muslim Brotherhood, Turkey and Qatar.

 

[Khafee]

Sudan Protesters Want Civil Disobedience to Pressure Military Council
8 June, 2019

A Sudanese protester in Khartoum. Reuters file photo

Asharq Al-Awsat

Protest leaders on Saturday called on Sudanese to take part in acts of civil disobedience in a bid to pressure the military to hand over power after the deadly break-up of their main sit-in in the capital of Khartoum earlier this week.

The call came a day after Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met separately with the ruling generals and the protest leaders in an effort to revive talks that were almost dead after the dispersal of the sit-in outside the military's headquarters on Monday.

The Sudan Doctors' Central Committee, one of the protest groups, said at least 113 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded since Monday. It said more than 40 bodies have been pulled from the Nile River in Khartoum and taken away by security forces since the violence erupted.

The Sudanese Professionals' Association, which spearheaded protests that led the army to oust President Omar al-Bashir, said it accepted Ahmed as a mediator to resume negotiations with the military council but had a set of conditions before returning to the negotiating table.

Those conditions included establishing an independent internationally backed body to investigate violence since al-Bashir was ousted by the military on April 11, and hold those responsible accountable. The umbrella group also called for the release of all political prisoners and said the mediation should aim at a power transfer to a civilian-led authority.

In a brief statement Saturday, the military council welcomed Ahmed's initiative and repeated its willingness to resume talks to reach "satisfactory understandings."

In an escalation, the SPA said the civil disobedience will begin Sunday and last until the military council hands over power to civilians.

The Sudanese Congress party said Saturday, meanwhile, that security forces arrested an opposition figure and two rebel leaders.

Mohammed Esmat, a negotiator for the protesters, was arrested after his meeting with the Ethiopian prime minister on Friday in Khartoum, the party said.

Security forces arrested Ismail Jalab, a leader at the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North and his spokesman Mubarak Ardol early on Saturday.

The British ambassador in Khartoum, Irfan Siddiq, condemned the arrests and called for the military council to release them.

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[Khafee]

Sudan Protesters Want Civil Disobedience to Pressure Military Council
8 June, 2019

A Sudanese protester in Khartoum. Reuters file photo

Asharq Al-Awsat

Protest leaders on Saturday called on Sudanese to take part in acts of civil disobedience in a bid to pressure the military to hand over power after the deadly break-up of their main sit-in in the capital of Khartoum earlier this week.

The call came a day after Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met separately with the ruling generals and the protest leaders in an effort to revive talks that were almost dead after the dispersal of the sit-in outside the military's headquarters on Monday.

The Sudan Doctors' Central Committee, one of the protest groups, said at least 113 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded since Monday. It said more than 40 bodies have been pulled from the Nile River in Khartoum and taken away by security forces since the violence erupted.

The Sudanese Professionals' Association, which spearheaded protests that led the army to oust President Omar al-Bashir, said it accepted Ahmed as a mediator to resume negotiations with the military council but had a set of conditions before returning to the negotiating table.

Those conditions included establishing an independent internationally backed body to investigate violence since al-Bashir was ousted by the military on April 11, and hold those responsible accountable. The umbrella group also called for the release of all political prisoners and said the mediation should aim at a power transfer to a civilian-led authority.

In a brief statement Saturday, the military council welcomed Ahmed's initiative and repeated its willingness to resume talks to reach "satisfactory understandings."

In an escalation, the SPA said the civil disobedience will begin Sunday and last until the military council hands over power to civilians.

The Sudanese Congress party said Saturday, meanwhile, that security forces arrested an opposition figure and two rebel leaders.

Mohammed Esmat, a negotiator for the protesters, was arrested after his meeting with the Ethiopian prime minister on Friday in Khartoum, the party said.

Security forces arrested Ismail Jalab, a leader at the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North and his spokesman Mubarak Ardol early on Saturday.

The British ambassador in Khartoum, Irfan Siddiq, condemned the arrests and called for the military council to release them.

Asharq Al-Awsat | Explore World News Today

Stay up to date with world news through Asharq Al-Awsat. We provide you with the latest breaking world news to keep you informed on the global situation.

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[Khafee]

Sudan police fire tear gas as civil disobedience campaign begins, Pope pleads for peace
AFP
Reuters
June 09, 2019

Members of Sudan’s security forces patrol in Khartoum. (File/AFP)

• Sunday marked the first day of a civil disobedience campaign
• Protesters gathered tires, tree trunks and rocks to build new roadblocks in Khartoum’s northern Bahari district

KHARTOUM: Sudanese police fired tear gas Sunday at protesters taking part in the first day of a civil disobedience campaign, called in the wake of a deadly crackdown on demonstrators.

Protesters gathered tires, tree trunks and rocks to build new roadblocks in Khartoum’s northern Bahari district, a witness told AFP, but riot police swiftly moved in and fired tear gas at them.

“Almost all internal roads of Bahari have roadblocks. Protesters are even stopping residents from going to work,” said the witness.

The latest bid by demonstrators to close off streets in the capital comes nearly a week after a deadly raid on a sit-in outside army headquarters which left dozens dead.
Meanwhile Pope Francis on Sunday appealed for peace in Sudan following last week’s violence in Khartoum last week.

“The news coming from Sudan is giving rise to pain and concern. We pray for these people, so that the violence ceases and the common good is sought in the dialogue,” the pope said in his weekly address to crowds in St Peter’s Square.

The bloody crackdown prompted the Sudanese Professionals Association, which first launched protests against longtime ruler Omar Al-Bashir in December, to announce a nationwide civil disobedience campaign starting Sunday.

The SPA said the movement will end only after the military rulers, who took over after Bashir’s ouster two months ago, transfer power to a civilian government.

Khartoum residents have mostly remained indoors over the past few days and the downtown business district was largely shut on Sunday.

Several vehicles of the feared Rapid Support Forces (RSF), blamed by witnesses for Monday’s killings, were seen moving across some parts of the capital loaded with machine guns.

Buses were not running in several districts, but private vehicles were ferrying passengers in some areas.

Airlines have scrapped most of their Sudan flights since the deadly raid and several passengers were left queueing outside Khartoum airport’s departures terminal Sunday, although it was unclear whether any flights would take off.

In Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman, across the River Nile, many shops and markets remained closed but residents were seen buying staples in some grocery stores.
“Troops were also seen removing roadblocks from some streets in Omdurman,” an onlooker said.

Residents have remained on edge since the raid on the sit-in, which killed at least 115 people according to doctors close to the demonstrators.

The health ministry says 61 people died nationwide in the crackdown, 49 of them by “live ammunition” in Khartoum.

Witnesses say the assault was led by the RSF, who have their origins in the notorious Janjaweed militia, accused of abuses in the Darfur conflict between 2003 and 2004.
Demonstrators had been camped out for weeks in Khartoum to pressure the ruling generals into transferring power, but talks between protest leaders and the military broke down mid-May.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed traveled to Sudan on Friday in a bid to revive negotiations, holding separate meetings with the two sides after which he called for a “quick” democratic transition.

Four killed in Sudan as protesters launch civil disobedience campaign

KHARTOUM: Four people were killed in Sudan on Sunday as protesters launched a civil disobedience campaign against the military after a bloody crackdown on a sit-in demonstration calling for civilian rule. The campaign got underway nearly a week after the assault on demonstrators at the sit-in...

www.arabnews.com

 

[Khafee]

Sudan police fire tear gas as civil disobedience campaign begins, Pope pleads for peace
AFP
Reuters
June 09, 2019
View attachment 7765
Members of Sudan’s security forces patrol in Khartoum. (File/AFP)

• Sunday marked the first day of a civil disobedience campaign
• Protesters gathered tires, tree trunks and rocks to build new roadblocks in Khartoum’s northern Bahari district

KHARTOUM: Sudanese police fired tear gas Sunday at protesters taking part in the first day of a civil disobedience campaign, called in the wake of a deadly crackdown on demonstrators.

Protesters gathered tires, tree trunks and rocks to build new roadblocks in Khartoum’s northern Bahari district, a witness told AFP, but riot police swiftly moved in and fired tear gas at them.

“Almost all internal roads of Bahari have roadblocks. Protesters are even stopping residents from going to work,” said the witness.

The latest bid by demonstrators to close off streets in the capital comes nearly a week after a deadly raid on a sit-in outside army headquarters which left dozens dead.
Meanwhile Pope Francis on Sunday appealed for peace in Sudan following last week’s violence in Khartoum last week.
View attachment 7766
“The news coming from Sudan is giving rise to pain and concern. We pray for these people, so that the violence ceases and the common good is sought in the dialogue,” the pope said in his weekly address to crowds in St Peter’s Square.

The bloody crackdown prompted the Sudanese Professionals Association, which first launched protests against longtime ruler Omar Al-Bashir in December, to announce a nationwide civil disobedience campaign starting Sunday.

The SPA said the movement will end only after the military rulers, who took over after Bashir’s ouster two months ago, transfer power to a civilian government.

Khartoum residents have mostly remained indoors over the past few days and the downtown business district was largely shut on Sunday.

Several vehicles of the feared Rapid Support Forces (RSF), blamed by witnesses for Monday’s killings, were seen moving across some parts of the capital loaded with machine guns.

Buses were not running in several districts, but private vehicles were ferrying passengers in some areas.

Airlines have scrapped most of their Sudan flights since the deadly raid and several passengers were left queueing outside Khartoum airport’s departures terminal Sunday, although it was unclear whether any flights would take off.

In Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman, across the River Nile, many shops and markets remained closed but residents were seen buying staples in some grocery stores.
“Troops were also seen removing roadblocks from some streets in Omdurman,” an onlooker said.

Residents have remained on edge since the raid on the sit-in, which killed at least 115 people according to doctors close to the demonstrators.

The health ministry says 61 people died nationwide in the crackdown, 49 of them by “live ammunition” in Khartoum.

Witnesses say the assault was led by the RSF, who have their origins in the notorious Janjaweed militia, accused of abuses in the Darfur conflict between 2003 and 2004.
Demonstrators had been camped out for weeks in Khartoum to pressure the ruling generals into transferring power, but talks between protest leaders and the military broke down mid-May.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed traveled to Sudan on Friday in a bid to revive negotiations, holding separate meetings with the two sides after which he called for a “quick” democratic transition.

Four killed in Sudan as protesters launch civil disobedience campaign

KHARTOUM: Four people were killed in Sudan on Sunday as protesters launched a civil disobedience campaign against the military after a bloody crackdown on a sit-in demonstration calling for civilian rule. The campaign got underway nearly a week after the assault on demonstrators at the sit-in...

www.arabnews.com

 

[Khafee]

Sudan Opposition Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Revolt Will Be Victorious
Wednesday, 12 June, 2019

Deputy head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) group Yasir Arman. (Reuters)

London - Mustafa Serri

Deputy head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) group Yasir Arman vowed on Tuesday that his country’s revolution will be victorious and will achieve its goals.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he added that the military council in Khartoum deported him on Monday because they feared that the SPLM-N would succeed in uniting the opposition.

Sudan is passing through a “very dangerous” phase, which demands the unity of all opposition forces to ensure that the revolt is a success and the people’s aspirations are met, he stated.

Arman was arrested soon after returning to Sudan and was released on Sunday. Soon after, he was deported to Juba along with fellow leading rebels Ismail Jalab and Mubarak Ardol.

Jalab revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the authorities did not clarify the reasons for their arrest and deportation.

They also did not meet any members of the ruling military council. They were were held in cells, but were not victim of any torture during their detention.

He revealed that Arman was beaten by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at their place of residence before their arrest.

Moreover, Jalab said that the detainees were released after pressure exerted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, South Sudan President Silva Kiir and several international powers, including Britain and the United States.

He condemned their deportation, saying that they were Sudanese citizens and had the right to live in their country.

“It appears that the military council was bothered by our presence in Khartoum,” he remarked.

Arman had arrived in Khartoum in late May to take part in talks with a military council that in April toppled longtime President Omar al-Bashir, after months of protests against his 30-year-rule.

Asharq Al-Awsat | Explore World News Today

Stay up to date with world news through Asharq Al-Awsat. We provide you with the latest breaking world news to keep you informed on the global situation.

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[Khafee]

Sudan Opposition Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Revolt Will Be Victorious
Wednesday, 12 June, 2019

View attachment 7923
Deputy head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) group Yasir Arman. (Reuters)

London - Mustafa Serri

Deputy head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) group Yasir Arman vowed on Tuesday that his country’s revolution will be victorious and will achieve its goals.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he added that the military council in Khartoum deported him on Monday because they feared that the SPLM-N would succeed in uniting the opposition.

Sudan is passing through a “very dangerous” phase, which demands the unity of all opposition forces to ensure that the revolt is a success and the people’s aspirations are met, he stated.

Arman was arrested soon after returning to Sudan and was released on Sunday. Soon after, he was deported to Juba along with fellow leading rebels Ismail Jalab and Mubarak Ardol.

Jalab revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the authorities did not clarify the reasons for their arrest and deportation.

They also did not meet any members of the ruling military council. They were were held in cells, but were not victim of any torture during their detention.

He revealed that Arman was beaten by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at their place of residence before their arrest.

Moreover, Jalab said that the detainees were released after pressure exerted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, South Sudan President Silva Kiir and several international powers, including Britain and the United States.

He condemned their deportation, saying that they were Sudanese citizens and had the right to live in their country.

“It appears that the military council was bothered by our presence in Khartoum,” he remarked.

Arman had arrived in Khartoum in late May to take part in talks with a military council that in April toppled longtime President Omar al-Bashir, after months of protests against his 30-year-rule.

Asharq Al-Awsat | Explore World News Today

Stay up to date with world news through Asharq Al-Awsat. We provide you with the latest breaking world news to keep you informed on the global situation.

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[Khafee]

US names special Sudan envoy to find 'peaceful' solution
Protest leaders demanded 'international guarantees' on any agreement
Published: June 13, 2019
AFP

People walk past at the main bus station in Khartoum, linking the Sudanese capital with various parts of the country, on June 12, 2019.Image Credit: AP

Khartoum: The United States Wednesday named a special envoy to Sudan to find a “peaceful” solution between demonstrators and generals, as protest leaders demanded “international guarantees” for implementing any agremeent reached with the army rulers.

Shops and restaurants meanwhile began to reopen in Sudan’s capital Wednesday after demonstrators called off a nationwide civil disobedience campaign and agreed to new talks with generals, though many residents remained indoors after last week’s deadly crackdown on protesters that left dozens dead.

The apparent breakthrough in the standoff between the military rulers who toppled veteran leader Omar Al Bashir and protesters demanding civilian rule followed mediation led by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis — triggered by the June 3 crackdown on protesters — got a boost as Washington nominated experienced Africa hand Donald Booth as a special envoy to Sudan to help craft a “peaceful political solution” between the generals and protesters.

Booth, who previously has served as special envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, was already in Khartoum along with Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Affairs Tibor Nagy to “engage with the parties,” State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said.

This came after an Ethiopian envoy sent by Abiy announced on Tuesday that the protest leaders and the ruling military council had agreed to resume talks and that a three-day civil disobedience campaign was ending. The generals are still to offer comment.

Late on Wednesday protest leader Madani Abbas Madani told reporters that “any agreement (reached with generals) must have regional and international guarantees” for implementing it. He did not elaborate.

Heavy security
The two US officials are expected to hold several meetings with the generals, including General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, chief of the ruling military council, and protest leaders during their stay in Khartoum.

They are later scheduled to visit Addis Ababa to discuss the Sudan crisis with Ethiopian leaders and the African Union.

The African Union suspended Sudan’s membership on Thursday.

Negotiations collapsed last month because the two sides disagreed about whether a civilian or soldier should head a new governing body.

On Wednesday morning as the civil disobedience campaign ended, an AFP correspondent who toured parts of the capital saw buses waiting for passengers at their stations, while shops in some districts re-opened.

Later in the day several restaurants reopened and street vendors came back to work.

But the main gold market in central Khartoum remained shut, and many residents stayed indoors.
“I’m still staying at my home because I’m worried about the presence of security forces carrying guns on the streets,” said Samar Al Bashir, an employee of a private company.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces — accused by protesters and rights groups of playing a leading role in last week’s crackdown — continued to patrol districts in their trademark pickup trucks fitted with heavy machine guns.

British envoy summoned
Other residents told AFP that they stayed at home because internet services — heavily cut in recent days — were still not fully restored, making office work difficult.
Street sweepers cleared piles of rubbish, while long queues at bank cash points returned across the capital and other towns.

“I went to the bank with a cheque and they said there’s no money. It seems all the money is just finished,” Faisal Suleiman told AFP as he stepped out of a bank in Khartoum.

Sudan has been led by a military council since the generals ousted Al Bashir on April 11 after months of nationwide protests against his three decade rule.

After Al Bashir’s fall, protesters remained encamped outside military headquarters in Khartoum for weeks to demand civilian rule, until men in military fatiges moved in to disperse them on June 3.

Around 120 people have been killed since the crackdown began, according to doctors close to the protesters. The health ministry has acknowledged 61 people died nationwide.

On Wednesday, the Sudanese foreign ministry summoned British ambassador to Khartoum, Irfan Siddiq, for expressing what it said were his “unbalanced positions” on Twitter regarding developments in Sudan, state media reported.

Global diplomatic efforts, however, received further boost after the UN Security Council on Tuesday urged all sides “to continue working together towards a consensual solution to the current crisis” and voiced support for African-led diplomatic efforts.

It also called for an immediate halt to attacks against civilians and stressed the importance of upholding human rights — a week after Russia and China blocked a similar draft statement on the crisis.

US names special Sudan envoy to find 'peaceful' solution

Protest leaders demanded 'international guarantees' on any agreement

gulfnews.com

 

[Khafee]

US names special Sudan envoy to find 'peaceful' solution
Protest leaders demanded 'international guarantees' on any agreement
Published: June 13, 2019
AFP

View attachment 7967
People walk past at the main bus station in Khartoum, linking the Sudanese capital with various parts of the country, on June 12, 2019.Image Credit: AP

Khartoum: The United States Wednesday named a special envoy to Sudan to find a “peaceful” solution between demonstrators and generals, as protest leaders demanded “international guarantees” for implementing any agremeent reached with the army rulers.

Shops and restaurants meanwhile began to reopen in Sudan’s capital Wednesday after demonstrators called off a nationwide civil disobedience campaign and agreed to new talks with generals, though many residents remained indoors after last week’s deadly crackdown on protesters that left dozens dead.

The apparent breakthrough in the standoff between the military rulers who toppled veteran leader Omar Al Bashir and protesters demanding civilian rule followed mediation led by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis — triggered by the June 3 crackdown on protesters — got a boost as Washington nominated experienced Africa hand Donald Booth as a special envoy to Sudan to help craft a “peaceful political solution” between the generals and protesters.

Booth, who previously has served as special envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, was already in Khartoum along with Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Affairs Tibor Nagy to “engage with the parties,” State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said.

This came after an Ethiopian envoy sent by Abiy announced on Tuesday that the protest leaders and the ruling military council had agreed to resume talks and that a three-day civil disobedience campaign was ending. The generals are still to offer comment.

Late on Wednesday protest leader Madani Abbas Madani told reporters that “any agreement (reached with generals) must have regional and international guarantees” for implementing it. He did not elaborate.

Heavy security
The two US officials are expected to hold several meetings with the generals, including General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, chief of the ruling military council, and protest leaders during their stay in Khartoum.

They are later scheduled to visit Addis Ababa to discuss the Sudan crisis with Ethiopian leaders and the African Union.

The African Union suspended Sudan’s membership on Thursday.

Negotiations collapsed last month because the two sides disagreed about whether a civilian or soldier should head a new governing body.

On Wednesday morning as the civil disobedience campaign ended, an AFP correspondent who toured parts of the capital saw buses waiting for passengers at their stations, while shops in some districts re-opened.

Later in the day several restaurants reopened and street vendors came back to work.

But the main gold market in central Khartoum remained shut, and many residents stayed indoors.
“I’m still staying at my home because I’m worried about the presence of security forces carrying guns on the streets,” said Samar Al Bashir, an employee of a private company.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces — accused by protesters and rights groups of playing a leading role in last week’s crackdown — continued to patrol districts in their trademark pickup trucks fitted with heavy machine guns.

British envoy summoned
Other residents told AFP that they stayed at home because internet services — heavily cut in recent days — were still not fully restored, making office work difficult.
Street sweepers cleared piles of rubbish, while long queues at bank cash points returned across the capital and other towns.

“I went to the bank with a cheque and they said there’s no money. It seems all the money is just finished,” Faisal Suleiman told AFP as he stepped out of a bank in Khartoum.

Sudan has been led by a military council since the generals ousted Al Bashir on April 11 after months of nationwide protests against his three decade rule.

After Al Bashir’s fall, protesters remained encamped outside military headquarters in Khartoum for weeks to demand civilian rule, until men in military fatiges moved in to disperse them on June 3.

Around 120 people have been killed since the crackdown began, according to doctors close to the protesters. The health ministry has acknowledged 61 people died nationwide.

On Wednesday, the Sudanese foreign ministry summoned British ambassador to Khartoum, Irfan Siddiq, for expressing what it said were his “unbalanced positions” on Twitter regarding developments in Sudan, state media reported.

Global diplomatic efforts, however, received further boost after the UN Security Council on Tuesday urged all sides “to continue working together towards a consensual solution to the current crisis” and voiced support for African-led diplomatic efforts.

It also called for an immediate halt to attacks against civilians and stressed the importance of upholding human rights — a week after Russia and China blocked a similar draft statement on the crisis.

US names special Sudan envoy to find 'peaceful' solution

Protest leaders demanded 'international guarantees' on any agreement

gulfnews.com

 

[Khafee]

Sudan's Military Says Security Forces Committed Violations In Sit-in Dispersal
14 June, 2019

Protesters shout slogans and make victory signs after Friday prayers in front of the Defence Ministry in Khartoum, Sudan, April 19, 2019. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Asharq Al-Awsat

Sudan's ruling military said security forces did commit violations when they tried to disperse a protest sit-in camp outside the military headquarters in Khartoum last week.

Gen. Shams Eddin Kabashi, spokesman of the ruling military council, said an investigation is underway and several military officers are already in custody over the violations.

Kabashi spoke to reporters at a news conference late Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

He didn't elaborate on the violations beyond saying they were "painful and outrageous."

Kabashi also rejected all calls for an international investigation into the incident.

Last week's violence, which protest organizers said left over 100 killed, marked an alarming turn in the standoff between the protesters and the Sudanese military.

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