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Amnesty urges Sudan to ensure protester safety during rallies
 [ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Sudan’s pro-democracy movement said they would proceed in their demonstrations despite intensified efforts by the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... and Æthiopia to end the political impasse and bring protest leaders and the ruling military council back to the negotiating table. The rallies are planned nationwide, with a focus on Khartoum. "The horrific unprovoked use of lethal and unnecessary force against peaceful protesters as witnessed on June 3 must not be repeated this Sunday, or ever again," said Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty’s secretary general. Protest leader Sherif Osman, from The Forces for Decoration of Freedom and Change, which represents the protesters, told news hounds in a news conference in Khartoum that the "peaceful" marches planned for Sunday could only be called off "if the military council handed over power to civilians." The demonstrations are planned to mark the 30th anniversary of the Islamist-backed coup that brought Omar al-Bashir  Head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself president-for-life. He has fallen out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to ArabizeDarfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it. to power in 1989, toppling Sudan’s last elected government. Amnesty warned the military council of repeating the June 3 crackdown, when security forces led by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces violently broke up a protest sit-in outside the military’s headquarters, dealing a massive blow to the protest movement. The break-up of the sit-in and ensuing clampdown has killed at least 128 people cross the country, according to protest organizers. Authorities say the toll is at 61, including three security forces. The military took over the country after protests drove al-Bashir from power in April. Negotiations with protesters over the transfer of power to civilians reached a deadlock following the clampdown on their sit-in. In recent weeks, Æthiopia and the AU have been mediating between the two sides. On Thursday, they presented a proposal to resume talks after the military refused to accept an Æthiopian initiative, which had been approved by the protesters. The military council did not comment on the joint proposal and a front man for the council did not answer phone calls seeking comment. The Æthiopian proposal also stipulates that the military would chair the council in the first 18 months, and the FDFC the second half of the transition. Syrian government forces and bully boyz fought fierce battles that left dozens dead in the country’s northwest as troops tried to regain control of two villages they lost earlier this month. Posted by: Fred 2019-06-29 |
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