Mass response across Sudan to ‘Friday of Freedom and Change’

The campaign of protests and mass action across Sudan, sparked by the chronic shortage of cash and rising prices of bread and fuel, is now approaching its third week with no end in sight, in spite of violent action my authorities against demonstrators, curbs against the press, and widespread detentions without charges.

Demonstrations calling for the departure of Al Bashir and his regime continued in Sudan for the 19th day in a row on Friday. In internationally, a vigil was held in solidarity in Hamburg in Germany.

In Khartoum, Sennar, and El Gezira people took part in demonstrations called ‘Friday of Freedom and Change’ organised by the Sudanese Professionals Association, Sudan Call, the National Consensus Forces, and the Unionist Gathering. They demanded the immediate unconditional withdrawal of Al Bashir and his regime, and the formation of a transitional Government of National Unity to govern for four years.

In Omdurman, hundreds of worshippers left the Ansar Mosque in Wad Nubawi for a demonstration after Friday prayers, despite the heavy presence of security forces around the mosque. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the demonstration was launched inside the mosque.

The demonstrators chanted slogans calling for the overthrow of the regime, and denounced the fabricated charges against a number of detained Darfuri students accused of being trained by the Mossad. Police and security forces used teargas, violence and excessive force to disperse the protesters.

In the nearby Beit El Mal, another demonstration began from the district’s mosque and went to the main road. The demonstrators chanted slogans calling for the regime to leave.

Friday prayers

In Khartoum, demonstrations were held in the districts of Arkaweet, El Sahafa, Burri El Lamab and and El Shakeilab, following Friday prayers.

In Halfaya in Khartoum North, protesters blocked the main road by setting the tires on fire. Protesters chanted “Freedom! Freedom!” and “The people are hungry, you dancer”, before being dispersed by police using tear gas, demonstrators said.

Sennar

In eastern Sudan’s Sennar, a demonstration began in El Gasr district in the capital Singa after Friday prayers. People from other neighbourhoods joined them and headed towards the central market, and intervened security forces using tear gas and batons and bullets to disperse the demonstration, witnesses said security troops cordoned off the mosque in the western district of Singa and prevented the worshippers there to join the demonstration.

El Gezira

In El Hilaliya in El Gezira state after Friday prayers, people also responded to the call to demonstrate on the ‘Friday of Freedom and Change’. The demonstrators called for an end to the “rule of the military”, the demonstrators said.

Hamburg

The German city of Hamburg also witnessed demonstrations. The demonstrators held banners denouncing the killing of protestors and demanded freedom, peace, justice and overthrowing the regime.

The Sudanese Professions Association announced a third peaceful march in Khartoum today, which planned to move towards the Presidential Palace at 1:00 pm.

They also announced a fourth peaceful march on Wednesday, that will head towards the National Assembly in Omdurman, to submit a memorandum demanding the departure of the regime and called the ‘forces of freedom and change’ on all Sudanese to continue the demonstrations throughout the country.