March of the Millions thwarted by tear gas in Sudan capital

Processions on March 14 began at noon in Khartoum from the various assembly areas to the Republican Palace from Jackson and Stadium bus stations, in solidarity with striking workers and to call for an end to the military coup in Sudan.

The regular forces fired significant amounts of tear gas at the demonstrators and obstructed their access to the Republican Palace. The authorities had reportedly preempted the processions with substantial military deployment. 

Similar processions also set out from El Arbaeen street (renamed Martyr Abdelazeem street by the revolutionaries) to the Parliament in Omdurman, demanding the overthrow of the military junta and rejecting the Framework Agreement due to be finalised at the end of this month. 

Khartoum Resistance Committees directed the participants to raise national flags, flags of committees, and banners expressing the revolutionary demands. They warned protestors to avoid contact with the regular forces and adhere to the paths of the procession.

Marches of the Millions are held to demand the overthrow of the military putschists who took over power on October 25, 2021, and full civilian rule of the country. They adhere to the Three No’s: “No negotiations, No bargaining, No legitimacy” (for the military junta), spokespersons for the Khartoum Resistance Committees told Radio Dabanga.

The Framework Agreement between military junta and the political opposition groups, under the umbrella of the FFC-CC, was signed on December 5 last year. Each of the more than 40 groups separately signed the agreement.

Many political opponents of the military authorities have been detained since the October 2021 coup, in which the RSF was involved. Many activists have also faced fabricated charges.

The leadership of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) issued several statements referring to justice for pro-democracy activists last week. In response, the resistance committees stated that they still consider “Hemeti an enemy of the revolution” and “the RSF a militia that must be disbanded and brought to trial for the crimes it committed against the revolutionaries and other people”.

The RSF is held responsible for many atrocities in Sudan, especially in Darfur.