More anti-coup and workers’ protests in Sudan

Khartoum and El Gezira witnessed more demonstrations to demand the overthrow of the military junta and the installation of a civilian government yesterday. The protest marches were brutally suppressed by security forces with heavy firing of tear gas and live ammunition. Other protests took place in the country around unions and workers’ rights.

Most of the main roads in Khartoum were closed by the authorities. The demonstrators managed to reach El Gasr street leading to the Republican Palace despite the repression.

The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors said in a statement that the Khartoum marches heading to the presidential palace were subjected to excessive repression, including the use of live ammunition by security forces.

Multiple protesters were injured, including critical and serious injuries.

The Socialist Doctors Association reported five cases of bullet injuries among protesters in Khartoum.

Protesters told Radio Dabanga that an armoured vehicle collided with a train near the Sharwani bus station at the end of El Gasr street. Seven people were injured.

The death toll in the pro-democracy protests that have been taking place since the October 25 military coup is now over 100.

Unions and workers’ protests

On Wednesday morning, 27 workers’ groups staged a vigil in front of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) offices in Khartoum in protest against plans of the authorities to restore the legitimacy of trade unions set up by the ousted regime of dictator Omar Al Bashir. They also denounced the absence of Sudan at the International Labour Conference in Geneva.

In a memorandum addressed to the head of ILO in Sudan, the vigil called for workers to be protected from trade union law violations. The memorandum referred to a series of human rights and trade union violations that were documented by civil monitoring groups, civil society organizations and human rights networks.

Employees and civil servants in Sennar carried out a mass procession to the state government secretariat in Singa on Wednesday.

Huzeifa Rabee Osman, part of the medical staff at Sennar Hospital, told Radio Dabanga that a large number of employees and workers from all ministries and localities in the state participated in the procession and chanted slogans to demand their full rights.

They handed a memorandum to the state government containing 15 demands, including the amendment of the 2022 salary structure and allowances and payment of other dues.

The protesters gave the government 72 hours to respond to their demands and threatened to enter “a comprehensive and open strike” if their demands were not met.

Osman said that the demonstration came after repeated demands submitted to the general and executive directors in the state ministries, which were not responded to.

Civil servants in Sennar also went on strike last month to demand salary restructuring and pay rises, and so did teachers. Medical workers also went on strike to demand better working conditions.