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News > Sudan

Sudan's Protesters Vow to Continue Demanding Civilian Gov't

  • Sudanese demonstrators paint a mural in Khartoum, Sudan April 14, 2019.

    Sudanese demonstrators paint a mural in Khartoum, Sudan April 14, 2019. | Photo: Reuters

Published 14 April 2019
Opinion

Sudanese protesters will not stop protesting until their demand for the formation of a civilian government is met by the ruling military council.

Sudan's protesters said Sunday they will be continuing to demonstrate until their demand of creating a civilian government is met.

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Sudan Lifts Curfew Amid Talks Between Military and Protesters

The protest organizations are in dialogue with the new military rulers of the country after former President Omar al-Bashir was ousted and arrested by the army.

A statement by the Alliance for Freedom and Change, an umbrella group of protest organizations said its 10-member delegation team submitted a list of demands Saturday which includes restructuring the country's feared National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS).

Sudanese Professionals' Association (SPA) called for the establishment of a transitional council which would be protected by the armed forces, adding it would exert "all forms of peaceful pressure to achieve the objectives of the revolution.”

Sudanese Defense Minister Mohammed Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf was supposed to lead the Military Transitional Council (MTC) that is supposed to run the country for up to two years until new presidential elections are had.

Just a day after overthrowing former president Omar al-Bashir who was in power since 1989, Ibn Auf stepped down as the council leader. Protesters said Ibn Auf is too close to the now former regime.

Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Abdelrahman called a meeting Sunday which was largely attended by unknown politicians and parliamentarians who are known to be loyal to Bashir's party, a Reuters witness said.

Sudanese demonstrators protest outside the Defence Ministry in Khartoum, Sudan April 14, 2019. | Photo: Reuters

It did not include SPA and the other main opposition parties, which together make up a group known as the Forces for Freedom and Change.

"We were not invited to this meeting ... we will submit our suggestions for the government to the military council," a spokesman for SPA told Reuters.

The protesters later accepted Burhan as the temporary leader of the military council as he had met with them during the start of the protests four months ago. Burhan said the future peace talks would include "all the people of Sudan, including political parties and civil society groups".

However, thousands of people are encamped outside the headquarters to keep the pressure on the military council.

"We will continue ... our sit-in until all our demands are met," one of the alliance's leaders, Omer Eldigair, said.

"We surely want our demands to be met, but both sides will have to be flexible to reach a deal," said a protester.

Burhan pledged that people responsible for killing protestors will be brought to justice and all imprisoned protesters would be freed.

Key Sudan allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued statements in favor of the military council. 

Saudi Arabia said the military council "stands by the Sudanese people" and urged them "to give priority to the national interest" of their country.

UAE said it welcomes Burhan’s position as head of the transitional military council.

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