Press ‘warned’ in Sudan
The Sudanese presidency delivered a strongly worded statement on Monday, warning the media for passing “red lines” in covering a number of sensitive items. Released late on Monday evening, the statement warned of what it called “the repeated negative approach by some of the media to issues of national security, military affairs, and justice”. Observers consider the statement a clear and candid message to the Sudanese press to refrain from addressing issues of corruption within government institutions, and the performance of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by the security service. The RSF have become widely known in Sudan for numerous assaults against civilians in South and North Kordofan at the end of 2013 and early this year, and the widespread attacks on rural areas in South and North Darfur, which caused the displacement of more than 200,000 people. HemetiOn Sunday, the director of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Gen. Mohamed Atta, announced that he had ordered three paramilitary RSF brigades to be deployed around Khartoum.RSF field commander Brig. Mohamed Hamdan, known as Hemeti, had welcomed his forces at their arrival at Sudan’s capital last week. In his address to the brigades, he said that they deserve praise, not criticism. “This country is a valve, and we are the masters who connect it. Let the ones who criticise us be warned. They will meet our bullets.” Hamdan also revealed that he had been the man behind the arrest of National Umma Party leader, Sadig El Mahdi. “If we say: Arrest El Mahdi, he is arrested, if we say: Release him, he will be released.” He pointed to the absence of the army, and the government relying on the RSF instead. “We are the government, and if the government wants to set up an army later, they should speak to us first.” Since some days, residents of the western parts of Omdurman are complaining about assaults by RSF troops, robbing them of their money and mobile phones. File photo: Brig. Mohamed Hamdan (Hemeti) among his militia troops in Darfur Related: Detained El Mahdi warns of unrest in Sudan (19 May 2014) Sudan army reformists demand dissolution of militias (18 May 2014)
The Sudanese presidency delivered a strongly worded statement on Monday, warning the media for passing “red lines” in covering a number of sensitive items.
Released late on Monday evening, the statement warned of what it called “the repeated negative approach by some of the media to issues of national security, military affairs, and justice”.
Observers consider the statement a clear and candid message to the Sudanese press to refrain from addressing issues of corruption within government institutions, and the performance of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by the security service.
The RSF have become widely known in Sudan for numerous assaults against civilians in South and North Kordofan at the end of 2013 and early this year, and the widespread attacks on rural areas in South and North Darfur, which caused the displacement of more than 200,000 people.
Hemeti
On Sunday, the director of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Gen. Mohamed Atta, announced that he had ordered three paramilitary RSF brigades to be deployed around Khartoum.
RSF field commander Brig. Mohamed Hamdan, known as Hemeti, had welcomed his forces at their arrival at Sudan’s capital last week. In his address to the brigades, he said that they deserve praise, not criticism. “This country is a valve, and we are the masters who connect it. Let the ones who criticise us be warned. They will meet our bullets.”
Hamdan also revealed that he had been the man behind the arrest of National Umma Party leader, Sadig El Mahdi. “If we say: Arrest El Mahdi, he is arrested, if we say: Release him, he will be released.” He pointed to the absence of the army, and the government relying on the RSF instead. “We are the government, and if the government wants to set up an army later, they should speak to us first.”
Since some days, residents of the western parts of Omdurman are complaining about assaults by RSF troops, robbing them of their money and mobile phones.
File photo: Brig. Mohamed Hamdan (Hemeti) among his militia troops in Darfur
Related:
Detained El Mahdi warns of unrest in Sudan (19 May 2014)
Sudan army reformists demand dissolution of militias (18 May 2014)
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