Report of gang-rape after demo prompts anger across Sudan

Angry demonstrators took to the streets of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum and elsewhere in the country on Tuesday, following the alleged gang-rape of a 19-year-old woman by members of the regular forces in the evening after the March 14 March of the Millions on Monday.

Members of resistance committees active in the neighbourhoods of Khartoum rallied on Tuesday afternoon under the slogan “What’s wrong with you?”. A number of resistance committees and women organisations issued angry statements condemning the alleged rape.

Tahani Abbas, Secretary General of the No Oppression of Women Initiative, expressed in an interview with the Sudan Today programme on Radio Dabanga her shock at the alleged gang rape of a 19-year-old young woman in Kubri El Mesalmiya, after passengers were disembarked from a bus. Two other young women were allegedly also pursued.

Abbas pointed to the increase in rape crimes committed by government forces after the coup October 25 last year. She emphasised that rape crimes are documented and that investigation committees are used to buy time.

Medical sources reported that the victim is being treated in hospital after she was alternately raped by five policemen, and her bag and mobile phone stolen. Activists pointed to the fact that the various government forces often cannot be distinguished anymore, as many use uniforms and vehicles of other forces. “Often you see a pickup truck with uniformed men and men dressed in civilian clothes together.”

On Tuesday, the resistance committees in Khartoum organised a massive procession toward the Republican Palace under the slogan “They won’t break you” to denounce the alleged rape.

Government forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets and birdshot at the demonstrators, who arrived at the Sharwani bus station near El Gasr Street, from the Bashdar crossing in El Diyoum El Shargiya.

In a field report, the Socialist Doctors’ Association stated that 26 people were injured during the procession by birdshot, rubber bullets, tear gas, and run over by vehicles, including serious injuries. A number of vigils were held in various neighbourhoods of Khartoum to condemn the rape.

The participants in the processions chanted “They won’t break you”, “The Kandaka is free”, and “The daughter of your father” and “The revolution is a people’s revolution”, “The authority is [should be] the authority of the people”, “Military back to the barracks”, and “The streets are all women and girls”.

In El Gezira, mass processions went out in the state capital Wad Madani on Tuesdayin solidarity with the victims of arrest and rape.

The participants in the procession chanted slogans condemning the continued detention of Mohamed Adam ‘Tubak’ and Mohamed El Fateh ‘El Nana’ charged with killing a police officer in January, and other detainees, as well as denouncing the gang rape on Monday by policemen in Khartoum.

The police forces intercepted the path of the convoy heading to the El Gezira state government secretariat and fired tear gas in the face of the demonstrators, injuring a large number of them. Activists reported that police raided homes in search of wounded protesters who sought refuge inside.