Sudan revolt day 5: New arrests and more victims

On the fifth day of demonstrations against the deteriorating economic situation in Sudan, the police arrested several students. It stopped last night a demonstration at the headquarters of the opposition Ummah party in Omdurman. At least seven people sustained injuries, while armed sympathizers of the government ruling party entered the compounds of various universities in the capital Khartoum. Despite the violence, protesters shouted: ‘Revolution until victory’, as Radio Dabanga reported from Sudan.

On the fifth day of demonstrations against the deteriorating economic situation in Sudan, the police arrested several students. It stopped last night a demonstration at the headquarters of the opposition Ummah party in Omdurman. At least seven people sustained injuries, while armed sympathizers of the government ruling party entered the compounds of various universities in the capital Khartoum. Despite the violence, protesters shouted: ‘Revolution until victory’, as Radio Dabanga reported from Sudan.

On the fifth day of what has been dubbed the Sudan Revolts, demonstrations expanded to other universities, such as the College of Banking Sciences. The students shouted: “The people want regime change”. Others chanted: “Khartoum revolts against the dictatorship (Kafouri) and the government thieves”. The students were shouting to the police: “You don’t have the blood to know how much a cup of sugar cost”, meaning “You don’t understand our costs of living”. Security and police forces were grouped around Al McNimr bridge between Hilat Hamed (Khartoum North) and Khartoum City, near Jackson Yard and Al Suq Arabi. They used teargas and sticks against demonstrators. Citizens joined the students in their protests. An unknown number of students have been arrested according to an eyewitnesses reporting to Radio Dabanga.

Students from Khartoum University demonstrated against the government and demanded regime change. An eyewitness said that the students blocked the roads Sharia Al Gama and Sharia Al Nile, leading to the university. Hundreds of students were simultaneously demonstrating at Sudan University. Consequently, the demonstrators went to Jackson Yard and tried to enter Suq Al Arabi but were forcibly stopped by police and security personnel. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that security forces and NCP-militia dispersed the demonstrating students from Banking College in Khartoum. The militia, sympathetic to the regime, entered the campus on Wednesday after the students had started the demonstration. They beat the remaining students using metal pipes and sticks. According to witnesses, armed students sympathetic to the ruling part (NCP) attempted to provoke violent clashes in order to create a pretext for the regime to close down the University. At least seven students were wounded (see picture) and four arrested at Khartoum University. The injured students include Remah, (student of Administration Sciences), Mohamed Ibrahim (who sustained severe burns), Husham Ahmed (who sustained serious head injuries), Omar Maruf, Magdi Awad Morsal , Mus’ab Ali Yousif. Yasmin (student Faculty of Art) and her colleague Rabi’a Dalil, Mohamed Salim (Faculty of Engineering) and his colleague Ahmed Mohamed Abdallah were arrested according to an eyewitness.

For a third day in a row students of Akhlia University in Omdruman, joined by citizens, protested. Students at the Faculty of Education in Omdurman (part of Khartoum University) blocked off Al Wadi street.

The United States is deeply concerned by the crackdown by the Sudanese authorities on peaceful demonstrations. Victory Nuland, spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State calls “On the Government of Sudan to respect the right of its citizens to freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly in order to raise their grievances.” she also expressed her concerns that “Sudanese authorities have increased pre-publication censorship of independent newspapers in recent weeks. ”

Darfur student arrested

In Sharq al Nile college student and member the Darfur Student Association Mohammed Osman, better known as Hammadu, was arrested on Tuesday after participating in the Darfuri Cultural Day. One of the leaders of the Darfur Coalition said Hammadu is currently being kept at an unknown location. He appealed to human rights groups to press the regime for his release or to charge him with a criminal offense.