Sudan uprising: Lecturers, doctors strike ahead of march of Sudanese women

On Wednesday, the lecturers of El Ahliya University in Sudan’s second city of Omdurman carried out a protest vigil condemning violations of the law and the State of Emergency, as Sudan prepares for the ‘march of Sudanese women’ in all neighbourhoods and cities of Khartoum and the states to demand the immediate step-down of Al Bashir and his regime.

The lecturers held banners condemning the State of Emergency, corruption, and killing protesters and calling for freedom, peace justice and release of detainees, especially the university professors

Medics strike

Yesterday, the doctors at Kassala Hospital continued their mass strike for the second day against the backdrop of the arrest of Dr Ahmed El Khidir following strike on Tuesday.

People told Radio Dabanga that the doctors transferred the cases to other hospitals.

The director-general of Kassala Hospital, Dr El Sadig Abushibak, has stopped the salaries and incentives of physicians from Tuesday until the strike is lifted.

#SudanUprising

Since mid-December last year, Sudan has experienced ongoing popular protests that have spread to towns and cities across the country.

Dozens of civilians have been killed, hundreds injured, and unknown thousands detained as the Sudanese security forces routinely respond to peaceful protests with tear gas, batons, and live ammunition.

The Sudanese Professionals Association – major movers behind the popular uprising and protests – and other forces signatory to the Declaration of Freedom and Change confirmed their unwavering commitment to the unconditional step-down of Al Bashir and his regime, the dismantling of repressive institutions, and the handover of power to a transitional civilian national government.

State of Emergency

Last week, Al Bashir declared a year-long State of Emergency in Sudan, and dissolved the federal government and state governments. In six Republican Decrees, Al Bashir dissolved the national Council of Ministers, assigned the Secretaries General and Undersecretaries of Ministries to run the work of their ministries, assigned a new ‘government of competencies’, relieved the Walis (governors) of the states, dissolved the governments of the states, and appointed high-ranking police, security, and military officers as the new Walis of the states.

The declaration, as well as the consequent restrictive Emergency Orders, have been met with widespread national and international concern and condemnation.