Rubber bullets rain on Sudanese demonstrators

Sudan’s riot police fired rubber bullets at demonstrators in Halfaya district, Khartoum North, on Friday. One man was wounded.

Residents of Halfaya took to the street on Friday afternoon to protest against the sale of their lands by authorities to investors.

The demonstrators chanted slogans like “Fatherland is not for sale. Revolution, revolution until victory!”, and “Hey Ghandour, you coward, Halfaya has taken to the streets”, referring to Presidential Aide Dr Ibrahim Ghandour, who is also MP for Halfaya constituency.

“The riot police used excessive force to disperse the peaceful demonstration. Many people had breathing problems because of the tear gas, and some of them fainted,” Khansaa Ahmed, lawyer, and member of the Halfaya district people’s general committee.

“Others were wounded when beaten with batons. Abdelaziz Subahi sustained injuries when he was hit by rubber bullets.”

The lawyer stressed that the affected residents “will continue their fight against the government’s decision about the ownership of the Halfaya plots.

“We will not stop until all our demands for justice and correct legal proceedings are fulfilled,” she said.

Photo below: Riot police in Halfaya's main street. Photo files: A man is carried away, and crowds gather to protest the sale of land on 13 February 2015 (by a Dabanga correspondent)