Day: February 10, 2022

Sudanese security forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters trying to march on the presidential palace on Thursday amid nationwide demonstrations against October’s military coup and a wave of political detentions.

The takeover ended a partnership between the military and civilian political parties, drawing international condemnation and plunging Sudan into political and economic turmoil.

Protests organized by neighborhood resistance committees have drawn hundreds of thousands of people, and at least 79 have been killed and more than 2,000 injured in crackdowns.

Hundreds of protesters diverged from planned routes on Thursday to renew efforts to march on the presidential palace but were met with tear gas and a heavy security presence a little more than a kilometer from their goal.

“We will continue demonstrating in the streets until we bring down military rule and bring back democracy,” said Salah Hamid, a 22-year-old university student.

Other protests took place across the Nile in the cities of Omdurman and Bahri, and farther away in Gadarif and Sennar.

Sudan’s long-standing economic woes have been exacerbated since last month by the blockade of the Northern Artery, a key route for trucks carrying exports from Sudan into Egypt.

That protest, originally against a rise in electricity prices for farmers, has expanded to reject military rule and demand more support for both farmers and traders. It also has trapped hundreds of Egyptian trucks in Sudan.

While some protesters in Khartoum said they were opposing a normalization of relations with Israel, which has been spearheaded by the military, others marched for the more than 2,000 people who lawyers say have been arrested since the coup. More than 100 remain in jail, one lawyer said on Thursday.

Two prominent political critics of the military, Khalid Omer Yousif and Wagdi Salih, were arrested on Wednesday.

Brigadier General Altahir Abu Haja, media adviser to military ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said in a statement carried by state news agency SUNA that their arrests were not political and that investigations were continuing.

A prosecution statement said that Salih and others faced charges of breaking laws related to corruption, foreign currency and financial procedures.

The U.S. State Department said Washington, along with Britain, Canada, Norway, Switzerland and the European Union, “condemn this harassment and intimidation on the part of Sudan’s military authorities.”

“This is wholly inconsistent with their stated commitment to participate constructively in a facilitated process to resolve Sudan’s political crisis to return to a democratic transition,” it said in a statement, calling on the military to release all those unjustly detained and lift a state of emergency.

Source: Voice of America

Yibeltal Aemero Alemu Ethiopian Ambassador to Sudan announced his country’s readiness to resume dialogue on the disputed issues between the two neighbours.

On Wednesday, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ali Al-Sadiq, met with Ethiopian Ambassador Alemu.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides discussed issues of common interest and ways to strengthen bilateral relations.

“The Ethiopian ambassador stressed that there are positive developments between the two countries on the disputed issues such as the (Grand Ethiopian) Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the border dispute, after the visit of the Vice-Chairman of the Sovereign Council to Addis Ababa recently,” reads the statement.

Alemu further stated “his country’s readiness to discuss issues away from media escalation, through dialogue and positive contacts.”

Tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia have been running high after the border clashes between the two sides in November 2020 when the Sudanese army expelled Ethiopian farmers from the Fashaga area.

In addition, the failure of talks over the GERD coupled with Ethiopian accusations of support to the Tigray rebels fuelled tensions between the two neighbours.

Deputy Chairman of the Sovereign Council, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo aka “Hemetti” paid a two-day visit to Ethiopia on 22-23 January where he met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abyei Ahmed.

At the end of the visit, the two countries announced having agreed to hold talks over disputed issues without further details.

Source: Sudan Tribune

An advocacy group has for called radical reforms as well as transformation of public financial management systems to ensure transparency and accountability in South Sudan.

The Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA) call comes weeks after South Sudan signed a $43.7 million tripartite agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to enhance private sector enterprise.

CPA’s Executive Director, Ter Manyang Gatwech said the grant should be implemented to fulfill need of the targeted beneficiaries.

“The only way South Sudan can recuperate its economy is to put in place strong systems that will ensure a prudent, transparent and accountable management of national wealth and resources,” he said.

Gatwech stressed the importance of promoting citizens’ welfare.

Last month, the Troika member states called for expedition in the implementation of public financial management reforms in South Sudan, saying strengthening of such reforms demonstrate government’s commitment to reform process and enhance trust with global partners.

South Sudan made significant progress on public financial management reforms, including prudent monetary policy, successful foreign exchange reform and steps towards sounder public cash management.

These steps, according to the Troika, have already benefitted South Sudan’s people through a more stable exchange rate and slower inflation.

Gatwech urged government of South Sudan and those now charged with leading economic recovery to continue such reforms, in line with the September 2018 peace agreement and South Sudan’s commitments under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff monitored program.

“A sound monetary policy is key to maintaining low inflation and a stable exchange rate, both of which will help shield the people of South Sudan from rising prices: this means that the Bank of South Sudan must refrain from any monetary financing of the budget deficit,” he stressed.

Oil revenues constitute more than 98% South Sudan’s annual budget.

Source: Sudan Tribune

Tahir Abu Haja, Media Adviser of the Sovereign Council chair Thursday said that arrest of the members of the Empowerment Removal Committee (SRC) was not political but took place upon a legally grounded decision.

Sudanese security forces on Wednesday arrested a prominent member of the Committee Wagdi Salih and the former Cabinet Minister Khalid Omer Youssif.

Salih before his arrest said that the summon had been issued upon a lawsuit by the ministry of finance. But for Youssif still, it is not clear what triggered his arrest.

The measure taken against “some leaders of the suspended committee is an arrest warrant according to a lawsuit, not a detention” said Abu Haja in a statement released on Thursday.

Abu Haja further said he was surprised by the attempt made by some people to describe the arrest as political development.

He added that the Penal Code prohibits the release on bail in the case of breach of trust under Article 177-2.

He stressed that they can only be released after paying the full amount of public money taken in a report certified by the auditor general.

In a press conference held on Wednesday evening after their arrest, Yasir Arman a leading member of the Forces for Freedom and Change said that the military rulers used legal cover to mask political detention.

The FFC leaders said the detention of the two political leaders would undermine the UN-facilitated process to end the current political crisis.

Source: Sudan Tribune