Sudan uprising: Thursday protests quelled by security force violence

From El Geneina to Port Sudan, several Sudanese cities were in turmoil by large-scale protests yesterday. Chanted slogans against President Al Bashir’s government could be heard throughout Khartoum. Security forces clamped-down with the use of bullets and tear gas.

At least three people were confirmed dead by Friday afternoon. Especially in Khartoum, Omdurman and Khartoum North large crowds gathered. In Khartoum a peaceful march heading to the presidential palace where they demanded the immediate step-down of Omar Al Bashir and his regime from the rule of Sudan.

The intensity of the deployed forces transformed central Khartoum into a military barracks, witnesses reported. Joint security forces consisting of riot police and security service officers, and others dressed in civilian clothes, on the backs of trucks used extreme violence against the demonstrators with bullets, tear gas and batons.

The security forces attacked the protestors in various areas of Khartoum and severely beat them in the most heinous violation of human rights. Violations against civilians include the storming of houses, assaulting people in their homes and throwing of tear gas inside buildings. This led to the burning of a house in Khartoum.

Burri district

On Thursday, the eastern Burri district, next to the Khartoum International Airport, witnessed a mass demonstration. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the demonstration continued for hours amid “brutal repression by the security forces and police”. Allegedly ten demonstrators sustained injuries.

“Ambulances were blocked from the area.” – Sudanese Doctors’ Committee

The Central Sudanese Doctors’ Committee said in a statement that the authorities prevented ambulances and doctors from reaching the area in Burri, and also prevented private vehicles that carried injured people to hospitals. They detained some of the wounded.

The authorities also filed charges against hundreds of demonstrators before transferring them to the police stations.

Omdurman

In Omdurman, crowds participated in a protest rally in El Sawra on Shingeeti road. A mother of one of the protesters told this station that members of the security forces used extreme violence against the demonstrators. “Residents fainted in their houses, especially asthmatic people.”

She said that the security forces stormed the houses and arrested large numbers of young people.

El Geneina

The capital of West Darfur witnessed a peaceful demonstration on Thursday. Listeners in El Geneina told Radio Dabanga that the demonstration, which coincided with the demonstrations of other Sudanese cities, started from the big square in front of the Teaching Hospital and Aradeiba Market.

Security forces were deployed in the streets and schools since early morning and arrested a number of demonstrators.

Ed Daein

Yesterday, a protest started in Ed Daein in East Darfur at 2pm, from in front of the Grand Mosque in the state capital.

He explained that a joint force under the leadership of Jabur Barsham, members of the so-called Popular Security Service, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the police confronted the demonstrators with excessive violence.

They arrested dozens of people including journalists Hasan Mahmoud, Mohamed Tareibo and Walid Eisa.

“Amani Hasabo prefers remaining in prison over participating in the blackmailing by authorities.” – Sudanese Congress Party

El Fasher

Authorities in El Fasher in North Darfur conditioned the release of Amani Hasabo, the head of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) in the state, with the signing of a pledge that he will neither participate in the demonstrations on behalf of the party, nor appear on the radio or television for the same purpose.

The SCP in the state has rejected the blackmailing in return for Hasabo’s release from the prison in Shala. “She prefers to remain imprisoned.”

SCP Secretary-General Khalid Omar condemned the security apparatus campaign of targeting its leaders, in particular in North Darfur and West Kordofan. SCP members Mohamed El Doma, El Rabee Ali and Mohamed Abdelmajid have been transferred to Shala prison in El Fasher for a six-month detention period under the current emergency measures.

Atbara

On Thursday afternoon a demonstration took place in Atbara in River Nile state, which toured the market before the security forces dispersed the people with tear gas.

An eyewitness told Radio Dabanga that the protesters’ chanting and calling for the stepping-down of the regime led to the closure of the town market. Other districts in Atbara witnessed similar demonstrations, such as Ambakol and El Murabaat.

Sennar

Sennar witnessed a protest in the afternoon at the call of the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), a trade union representing doctors, teachers and engineers among political forces.

A listener in Sennar town told this station that a number of marches moved from various districts towards the locality headquarters. The security forces dispersed them using tear gas and foiled their attempt to reaching the destination.

White Nile

Both El Duweim and Rabak towns in White Nile state witnessed demonstrations. A resident pointed to the heavy security deployment in parts of Rabak.

El Gedaref

The SPA and signatories of the Declaration of Freedom and Change called upon the masses to join demonstrations in the market and districts on Thursday.

They began in separate three marches from the railway, Deim El Nur and the vegetable market, and would meet in a unified march in the market. Witnesses said that security forces and the police used tear gas to disperse them.

They pointed out to the heavy security deployment in the market and districts. They explained that the security forces carried out a wide range of arrests of the demonstrations.

Port Sudan

Demonstrations took place in the city market in Port Sudan in response to a call by the SPA and allied politicians in Red Sea state. Eyewitnesses said that authorities broke the demonstration by using excessive force, and detained a large number of demonstrators.

After the demonstrators were dispersed, a number of them moved to El Sawra in eastern Port Sudan, where it was joined by a demonstration that came from the vocational school.