Day: November 2, 2021

The wide public response to a campaign of civil disobedience in protest against the October 25 military coup in Sudan continues in the capital Khartoum, as well as other cities in Sudan and abroad. It is impacting on all aspects of life and reports continue of deaths and injuries from live ammunition used army and paramilitary forces against demonstrators. The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) have declared categorically that “there will no dialogue or negotiations with the putschists”.

Information is often sporadic due to the ongoing internet shut-down and disruptions to telecommunications in Sudan, however, reports that are reaching Radio Dabanga indicate that most government institutions and banks have kept their doors closed, while all schools and universities remained closed. Most shops are still closed as well.

Sources say that traffic rates are still limited, because while the military forces re-opened the roads many times, the barricades were immediately rebuilt by protestors.

The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors (CCSD) reported in a statement that armed forces under the command of the coup leaders “have been attacking peaceful protesters with live ammunition in the El Abbasiya neighbourhood in Omdurman on Monday”.

The doctors say that one protester was hit in the shoulder, three others were wounded in the chaos that followed the shooting.

FFC: ‘No dialogue with putschists’

The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) – the main drivers of the revolution that overthrew the 30-year Al Bashir dictatorship in 2019 – have declared categorically that “there will no dialogue or negotiations with the putschists”.

In a statement following a meeting of the FFC Central Leadership Council on Monday afternoon at the premises of the National Umma Party, the FFC said they are now concerned with “uniting the revolutionary forces on the streets with the civilian democratic forces”.

The meeting concluded with the decision to overthrow the military coup, hold the leaders accountable, and achieve justice for the protestors who have been killed and wounded, in addition to releasing all detainees immediately and returning to the constitutional system before October 25.

Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok must return and his government to carry out their duties in accordance with the Constitutional Document, the FFC insist.

Source: Radio Dabanga

The ongoing internet shut-down and disruptions to telecommunications in Sudan have entered their eighth day. Critics and activists caution that the blackout is being used as a smokescreen to hide atrocities committed by the army and paramilitary forces in support of the military coup.

Reports from the capital Khartoum and other cities in the country indicate that little internet traffic is possible, while mobile phone services are intermittent and unreliable.

Human rights defender Ali Ajab told Radio Dabanga that “cutting off the internet aims to hide the crimes of the Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces,” and that if the internet service is restored, “the world will witness the extent of the atrocities committed by these forces against peaceful and defenceless demonstrators”.

He told Radio Dabanga that Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, leader of the military coup that took place on October 25, has “restored the operations department of the security apparatus specialised in detentions and torture”.

The lawyer said that the wide detention campaign against pro-democracy politicians, members of Resistance Committees, and other activists, is carried out by several parties, such as the Military Intelligence that takes detainees to military sites, and the security apparatus, which uses its old headquarters in Khartoum North near the Shendi bus station – though the amended Security Service Law does not give the General Intelligence Service (GIS) the authority to detain people.

Ajab further reported that the civil disobedience actions are “working efficiently. Almost all neighbourhood grocers are working to meet the needs of the people.”

Source: Radio Dabanga

The High Council of Beja Nazirs and Independent Chieftains announced the opening of the Red Sea ports and the Port Sudan-Khartoum highway, with immediate effect. The opening – after a closure that has lasted a month and a half – will last for one month, “in order to allow the formation of a new government”.

Abdallah Obshar, the Beja Council’s rapporteur, said in a press statement on Monday that the council adheres to its demand to cancel the Eastern Sudan Track protocol of the Juba Peace Agreement, and to organise a “comprehensive conference on eastern Sudan (Red Sea state, Kassala, and El Gedaref) based on the decisions of the Sinkat Conference”.

Obshar explained that the decision came after the communication of internal and international bodies, and that it comes as a contribution to the movements of goods in Sudan. The Beja Council welcomes a dialogue with the government of technocrats that the putschists have pledged to form.

The head of the council, Nazir Sayed Tirik, announced his support for El Burhan and the coup last week, after the coup leader acknowledged the political demands of the Beja leaders concerning participation in the government. Tirik pledged at the time that they will ease the blocking of the ports and the highway as soon as a part of their demands have been agreed on.

Source: Radio Dabanga