♦ Sudan: This week’s news in brief ♦
A compact digest of the past week’s most-read highlights, from the heart of Sudan
Deputy Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’ Dagalo, met Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Alexander Fomin in Moscow (SUNA)
A compact digest of the past week's most-read highlights, from the heart of Sudan. Subscribe to receive this digest weekly in your inbox.
Sudan opposition leader: Hemeti’s visit to Russia ‘an adventure’
February 27 – 2022 MOSCOW Former Sovereignty Council member Siddig Tawir told Radio Dabanga on Saturday that the visit by the Deputy Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’ Dagalo, to Russia under these circumstances can be called “an adventure”. He explained that “the isolation that Sudan is experiencing after the October 25 coup is what prompted Hemeti to this adventure”.
Political analyst Siddig El Zeylei described the timing of Hemeti’s visit as inappropriate and as indicating his lack of understanding of the current international crisis by supporting the Russian position in its war against Ukraine. He stressed that Sudan’s current crises are “a result of this group’s control of power in the country” and that “the unity of the opposition and the revolutionary force is the only way to bring down this bloody regime”.
February 23 – 2022 KHARTOUM The start-up of hydroelectric turbines of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) does not aim to generate electricity, but rather to drain water stored behind the dam for construction in preparation for the third filling, according to Dr Ahmed El Mufti, an international expert in water resources and a former member of the Sudan delegation to the GERD negotiations.
In an interview with the Sudan Today programme on Radio Dabanga, El Mufti explained that starting-up the turbine [Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed officially inaugurated hydroelectricity production at the GERD on Sunday] represents “the fourth unilateral step that Ethiopia is implementing without consulting Sudan”. He insists that this as a violation of international law and the Declaration of Principles signed in March 2015 by Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan.
Sudan courts convict RSF members of murder
March 1 – 2022 KASSALA The Kassala Court in eastern Sudan convicted two members of the Rapid Support Forces of premeditated murder for their participation of the October 15 events two years ago in Kassala.
Resistance Committees in Sudan capital release new charter ‘to overthrow October 25 coup’
February 28 – 2022 KHARTOUM The Khartoum Resistance Committees announced their proposal of a People’s Authority Charter aiming at uniting the revolutionary forces in the country. The charter, announced by the resistance committees in a press conference, stipulates the overthrow of the October 25 coup and holding all those involved in it accountable.
Western diplomats urge Sudan to condemn Russian aggression in Ukraine
February 28 – 2022 KHARTOUM The ambassadors and diplomats of Western countries in Khartoum have called on the government of Sudan not to follow Russia’s decision to recognise the declaration of independence of the Donbass and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine that are under the control of pro-Russian separatists, and “to condemn the violations of the Russian Federation in clear terms”.
Sudanese Pound plunges – basic daily needs unaffordable
February 27 – 2022 SUDAN Unprecedented stress on the Sudanese Pound against major currencies, coupled with unbridled prices for basic goods, is prompting fears of a famine as hunger is already prevalent throughout Sudan and now begins to encroach on the capital Khartoum. Last week, the US Dollar was trading for SDG550 on the parallel market.
Intense attack on the social media accounts of Sudan activists
February 25 – 2022 KHARTOUM Engineer Munzer Abulaali, a leading figure in Forces for Freedom and Change, confirmed the existence of an organised and systematic campaign against the social media pages of influential activists by unknown parties.
Spontaneous Marches of the Millions heavily suppressed in Sudan
February 25 – 2022 DABANGA SUDAN The authorities used heavy violence and tear gas at the February 24 Marches of the Millions, in which people headed to the Republican Palace in Khartoum. Marches in Khartoum North (Bahri) and Omdurman were also subjected to excessive violence from security forces.
UN expert on human rights in Sudan: ‘Violations and frightening reports, it is time to stop them’
February 25 – 2022 KHARTOUMThe UN expert on human rights in Sudan, Adama Dieng, painted a bleak picture of the human rights situation in Sudan, as a result of the massive violations committed by the security services against peaceful protesters since last October. The UN official called for the State of Emergency to be abolished and to stop the use of live ammunition against the demonstrators.
‘Economy in dark and dire straits’ as Sudanese Pound pummelled
February 23 – 2022 KHARTOUM Traders on the parallel forex market are returning to the days before the ousting of President Omar Al Bashir. On Tuesday, the Dollar exchange rate on the parallel market ranged between SDG523 and 540, while the official rate ranges between SDG443 and 446. In an interview with Radio Dabanga, economic expert Prof Hasan Bashir described the current economic situation in the country as “dark and dire”, warning against “reaching a dead end”.
Girl of 14 held in Sudan junta detention campaign
February 23 – 2022 OMDURMAN / KHARTOUM The ongoing campaign of detentions of opponents of the Sudan coup does not seem to even spare children as the authorities detained a 14-year-old girl, Maya Hasan Ahmed, during the February 21 Marches of the Millions in Omdurman. Lawyer Amira Mohamed told Radio Dabanga that the girl, an eighth-grade basic school student, is not registered in any police stations.
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