Sudan lecturers on strike after ‘unconstitutional’ university dismissals

The head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, earlier this week dissolved the board of trustees for public universities, dismissed 30 university directors, and appointed his own choices in their stead. In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Dr Siddig Tawer, a former member of the Sovereignty Council, describes the decision as “worthless, having no constitutional basis, and issued by a coup without legitimacy”.

Tawer explained that the purpose of these dismissals, is to “further isolate the Sudanese professors who are able to unite the forces of the revolution” and reach an agreement with Sudan’s revolutionary actors.

He called on the lecturers to confront the coup campaign by uniting their efforts to prevent El Burhan’s interference in their right to choose their own university boards.

The Union of University and Higher Institute lecturers described the dismissals as proof of the “blatant infringement on the independence of universities”, which also “exceeds the constitutional powers that were granted by the prime minister”, and announced an open strike in response to the trustee dismissals issued by El Burhan.

A group of 28 lecturers at the University of Science and Technology submitted a collective resignation on Wednesday, to protest against the new appointments.