Sudanese bank strike announced, sit-ins continue

A strike in government banks in Khartoum is planned for tomorrow. People in South Kordofan, West Kordofan, and South Darfur continue to sit in for various reasons, including better provision of infrastructure and services.

Employees of government banks in Khartoum will begin a two-day strike on Tuesday. It was announced yesterday by the Government Banks Coordination, to draw attention to the necessity of reforming the banking system.

Yesterday, El Zaki Mohamed, head of the management team of El Balad Bank, said in a press conference that staff of the Family Bank already began to strike as of Sunday.

He stressed that there can be no hope for reform of the national economy, if the banking system is not reformed.

Mohamed called for an investigation into corruption and stolen money in the banks, and for holding those responsible to account. Furthermore, he demanded training for employees, which is currently only available to managers.

A substantial amount of cash was seized during a search of deposed President Omar Al Bashir’s residence in Khartoum on April 18, 2019, exposing corruption in the former regime. In a statement, the Senior Public Prosecutor Mutasim Mahmoud announced the seizure of $351 million, €6,7 million, £5.2 million, and SDG 5 billion ($105 million*) at the residence of deposed President Omar Al Bashir.

On Sunday, hundreds of residents in various places in Abu Jubeiha locality in South Kordofan took to the streets demanding the provision of better basic services, in support of a sit-in in Abu Jubeiha town which has lasted almost one month.  

The protesters blocked the Abu Jubeiha ring road, only allowing people going to a hospital or clinic to pass, and vendors at the Abu Jubeiha Market closed their shops.

The demonstrators called on the federal and South Kordofan government to respond to their demands concerning better infrastructure, including health, education, electricity, and water services. The Governor of South Kordofan, Hamid Al Bashir, announced his intention to visit the sit-in this week.

People living in Ghubeish in West Kordofan began to sit-in in front of the locality’s office buildings, demanding improved services. The protestors said in a statement on Sunday that Ghubeish locality is lacking clean drinking water, electricity, and other basic services. They called on Hamid Abdelrahman, the new governor of the state, to visit the sit-in and “see the dire situation in the locality for himself”.

They also demand accountability for corrupt members of the former regime.

The sit-in of Buram in South Darfur has been ongoing for one week. The protestors demand the replacement of the locality’s director and the security committee, as attacks and robberies in the locality continue to take place.

They also demand the dissolution of the Chamber of Commerce, dismissal of officials of the former regime, and investigations into corruption.

In addition, “Radical solutions” are needed at Buram Hospital concerning provision of water, electricity, and medical staff, according to protestors.

* As effective foreign exchange rates can vary in Sudan, Radio Dabanga bases all SDG currency conversions on the daily US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS)

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