Peaceful bread protest in Port Sudan

Thousands of high school students in Port Sudan, Red Sea state in eastern Sudan, took to the streets yesterday. In a peaceful demonstration they denounced the poor living conditions and shortages of bread.

People from Port Sudan told Radio Dabanga that the demonstrations moved to Port Sudan market before heading towards the offices of the state government. The governor and other state leaders met with student representatives. The students also closed several main roads and chanted slogans that denounced the worsening living conditions.

The wali (governor) of Red Sea State, Abdallah Shangarai, praised the peacefulness of the students and acknowledged the legitimacy of their demands. He also affirmed their right to protest and their freedom of expression. He pledged to solve the problems affecting bakery owners.

North Kordofan

Violence and looting continued in El Obeid and El Rahad, North Kordofan.

The local security committee of Shikan in North Kordofan closed the Grand White Market, the city's sub-markets and all other local markets for a period of 48 hours, starting from Wednesday. Khaled Mustafa, the wali (governor) of North Kordofan, closed the markets in El Rahad and Umm Rawaba for a period of 48 hours.

Mousa Maki, director of Shikan security committee, confirmed in press statements that the decision to close the markets was made in order to preserve properties of the owners. He also said that the Shikan security committee implemented a curfew from 18.00 to 6.00.

Security forces were deployed on the streets of Kassala yesterday in anticipation of demonstrations accompanied by acts of violence, similar to what happened in El Gedaref, El Obeid and Nyala.

Finance Minister

Jibril Ibrahim, the new Sudanese Minister of Finance, will make efforts to end the queues for bread and fuel, and provide lifesaving medicine at affordable prices.

He said on Twitter that Sudan is undergoing a difficult period. He stressed his dependence on God and said that Sudan will need cooperation of people in all sectors to put the economy back on track. Ibrahim called on businessmen in the private sector “to cooperate in a purely patriotic spirit” so that the economy can be revitalised.