Excessive force against Sudan protesters, journalists continues

Thousands of Sudanese took to the streets on Tuesday to protest against the rule of the military in the country and to demand a full civilian government, two days after Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok announced his resignation and three protesters were killed in Khartoum. At least 70 people were injured during yesterday’s Marches of the Millions.

In Khartoum, the joint security forces, consisting of riot police, army soldiers, paramilitaries of the Central Reserve Police (Abu Teira) and Rapid Support Forces, and agents of the General Intelligence Service (GIS) yesterday anticipated the Marches of the Millions with a massive presence.

A number of main roads and bridges were closed with barbed wire to prevent the protesters to head to the Republican Palace in central Khartoum. Again, excessive force was used to disperse the demonstrators who carried banners denouncing the military coup of October 25 under the leadership of Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, army commander and president of the Sovereignty Council, and demanding “full civilian rule and the return of the military to the barracks”. The protesters continued chanting ‘the three nos’, “No Negotiations [with the military], No Partnership, No Bargaining”.

Excessive force was also used against protesters in Port Sudan in Red Sea state and El Obeid in North Kordofan. Large demonstrations also took place in Wad Madani in El Gezira and Nyala in South Darfur.

No filming

Members of the joint security forces yesterday threw tear gas canisters at crew members of the Al Araby television network while they were filming the Marches of the Millions from their office in Khartoum.

The Sudanese Journalists Network said in a statement on Tuesday that the forces, after firing tear gas, cordoned the office for hours “in a new crime against journalists and media professionals in Sudan”.

Last week, joint forces stormed the office of the Arab Al Arabiya and Al Hadath satellite TV channels, assaulted the journalists present, destroyed their equipment and stole their belongings. They also threatened the staff of Asharq News Channel and Sky News Arabia.

Field report

According to the field report of the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, medics in the three cities of Khartoum and in Port Sudan, capital of Red Sea state, recorded 70 people who were wounded during the Marches of the Millions yesterday.

A number of them were hit by stun grenades, tear gas canisters or another hard object. Others had serious breathing problems because of the dense tear gas. Many also sustained injuries as a result of “beating with batons, stone throwing, and stampede”.  

The Doctors Committee noted that wounded people treated by field aid teams have not yet been not included in the report.