Interrogation of protester, strike continues in Port Sudan
The police of Port Sudan in Red Sea state summoned Ja’afar Abdel Gader, the chairman of the People’s Committee for the Defence of Schools in Port Sudan, on Monday morning. The security accuses him of sabotaging a rally, while his committee opposes the decision of selling the plots of four schools to business investors. The police summoned Abdel Gader after filing charges of attempted sabotage, intercepting and obstructing the march of the state Governor, Mohamed Taher Eila, on 19 May. Eila had planned to address a crowd in Haya locality. Instead, angry citizens started to throw stones, demanding the Governor to step down. Abdel Gader was also interrogated on Saturday. “We held a demonstration last Thursday that was dispersed by government forces using teargas. But I had nothing to do with the events during the rally.” An activist told Radio Dabanga that the aim of the “fabricated charges” is an attempt to silence and intimidate people. He added that they will not be silenced and will just “continue the fight against the authorities’ decision of selling the four historic schools”. During the past weeks, Red Sea state’s capital Port Sudan witnessed various demonstrations against the policies of the Governor and the deteriorating living conditions. People are particularly angry about plans to sell four historical schools in the city’s centre, against which they protested during demonstrations on 18 May. Drivers on strike Also lorry drivers of the Containers Transportation Department of the Southern Port in Port Sudan have continued their strike since last Friday, in protest against the low wages and temporary contracts. The general manager of the Ports Engineering Corporation, Ibrahim Suleiman, announced the firing of the drivers for entering into an illegal strike and breaching contract terms. Legal figures described the announcement of the general manager as “unjust” and “contrary to the law”. The strike immediately led to an accumulation of containers on the pavements of the Southern Port. File photo: Port Sudan. Related: Growing discontent in Port Sudan: activist interrogated (26 May 2014) Citizens derail Governor’s rally in eastern Sudan (21 May 2014)
The police of Port Sudan in Red Sea state summoned Ja’afar Abdel Gader, the chairman of the People’s Committee for the Defence of Schools in Port Sudan, on Monday morning. The security accuses him of sabotaging a rally, while his committee opposes the decision of selling the plots of four schools to business investors.
The police summoned Abdel Gader after filing charges of attempted sabotage, intercepting and obstructing the march of the state Governor, Mohamed Taher Eila, on 19 May. Eila had planned to address a crowd in Haya locality. Instead, angry citizens started to throw stones, demanding the Governor to step down.
Abdel Gader was also interrogated on Saturday. “We held a demonstration last Thursday that was dispersed by government forces using teargas. But I had nothing to do with the events during the rally.”
An activist told Radio Dabanga that the aim of the “fabricated charges” is an attempt to silence and intimidate people. He added that they will not be silenced and will just “continue the fight against the authorities’ decision of selling the four historic schools”.
During the past weeks, Red Sea state’s capital Port Sudan witnessed various demonstrations against the policies of the Governor and the deteriorating living conditions. People are particularly angry about plans to sell four historical schools in the city’s centre, against which they protested during demonstrations on 18 May.
Drivers on strike
Also lorry drivers of the Containers Transportation Department of the Southern Port in Port Sudan have continued their strike since last Friday, in protest against the low wages and temporary contracts.
The general manager of the Ports Engineering Corporation, Ibrahim Suleiman, announced the firing of the drivers for entering into an illegal strike and breaching contract terms. Legal figures described the announcement of the general manager as “unjust” and “contrary to the law”. The strike immediately led to an accumulation of containers on the pavements of the Southern Port.
File photo: Port Sudan.
Related:
Growing discontent in Port Sudan: activist interrogated (26 May 2014)
Citizens derail Governor’s rally in eastern Sudan (21 May 2014)
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