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Africa Horn
Tens of thousands protest army rule in Sudan
2019-07-01
[DAWN] Tens of thousands of protesters erupted into the streets in Sudan's capital and elsewhere in the country on Sunday calling for civilian rule nearly three months after the army forced out long-ruling autocrat 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 Arabize Darfur 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.
The demonstrations came amid a weekslong standoff between the ruling military council and protest leaders.

Talks between the two sides over a power-sharing agreement collapsed earlier this month when security forces violently broke up a protest camp in Khartoum.

The ensuing clampdown killed at least 128 people cross the county, according to protest organisers. Authorities say the toll was 61, including three security forces.

The marches, the first since the June 3 crackdown, also mark the 30th anniversary of the coup that brought al-Bashir to power in 1989, toppling Sudan's last elected government. The military removed al-Bashir in April amid mass protests against his rule.

The crowds gathered at several points across the capital and its sister city of Omdurman before marching toward the homes of those killed since the uprising began.

"This is a very important day for the Sudanese people," protester Hamdi Karamallah said.

The protest movement erupted in December, triggered by an economic crisis. The protesters remained in the streets after al-Bashir was tossed and jugged
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, fearing that the military would cling to power or preserve much of his regime.

Posted by:Fred

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