Day: October 25, 2022

Ed Damazin, capital of Blue Nile state, witnessed a relative calm yesterday morning although the situation remained tense and normal life in the town is completely paralysed after shooting continued until late Sunday evening in El Rabee and El Nahda neighbourhoods and inside the city’s Grand Market.

People in Ed Damazin expected a worsening of the situation in the capital after the shooting on Sunday. The residents explained that many are in a state of terror and panic because of these events, which caused many residents to flee their homes.

Ramadan Yasin, Humanitarian Aid Commissioner for the Blue Nile region, said in an interview with the Sudan Today on Radio Dabanga that the markets were “completely paralysed” and that farmers cannot harvest their crops anymore.

As a result of the violence, the Blue Nile State University announced the suspension of studies and exams for an indefinite period of time starting today.

Angry mobs also torched the government secretariat, stormed the 4th Infantry Division and raided the ammunition depot. People also closed the Singa bridge and prevented vehicles from leaving and entering the city. They are demanding the dismissal of Governor Ahmed El Omda after months of resurfacing intercommunal violence.

The violence was described as “systematic killing and a war akin to genocide” by Jamal Nasir, the Minister of Health of the Blue Nile region.

‘This is systematic killing and a war akin to genocide’ – Jamal Nasir

The clashes started in mid-July south of El Roseires when indigenous El Funj, El Hamaj, and in particular Berta tribesmen attacked Hausa families in the area. The violence also flared up in September, when at least 24 people were killed. At least 200 people died so far.

The violence was allegedly triggered by the decision of Malik Agar, member of the Sovereignty Council, to enter Hausa leaders in Blue Nile state into the native administration system in order to gain more support in the region, which he lost by installing relatives from the small Engassana tribe on government posts and in his Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N Agar) faction.

Governor El Omda is a nephew of Agar.

Racism

The Hausa in Sudan are part of the Hausa ethnic group, which is very influential in West Africa, politically and culturally. In the process of traveling and trading for centuries, some of them migrated east to places like Sudan – where they, as ‘black Africans’, are still seen by many as outsiders.

Some activists, for example, tweeted that the Hausa demonstrators in other cities marching in solidarity with the Hausa experiencing violence in Blue Nile state did not receive much support.

“It was heart-breaking to watch the Hausa march alone. I expected more people to show up and tell them “you will never walk alone”, “we’re all Hausa” as resistance committees usually do, instead I noticed a lot of hostility and outright racism,” one of them said about a Hausa solidarity protest in Khartoum.

Displacement

The Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission reported that at least 13,000 families fled from Wad El Mahi to Ed Damazin and neighbouring El Roseires since Sunday evening because of the violence.

8,000 people fled to Ed Damazin on foot after the renewed clashes in Medina 8 in Geisan on Sunday, according to commissioner Ramadan Yasin.

More than 5,000 people fled to El Roseires, Yasin explained and said that there are still people stranded on the road west of Ed Damazin.

The new displaced are sheltered in a number of schools and Koran schools in various Ed Damazin neighbourhoods, especially in El Gasam neighbourhood. Yasin said that the attacks in Ed Damazin also led to the displacement of people from one neighbourhood to another.

He described the conditions of the displaced as “dire”, appealing to international organisations to provide food and shelter materials.

New commander

The official spokesperson for the Sudan Armed Forces, Col Nabil Abdallah, announced the appointment of a new commander for the Blue Nile Military Region yesterday, Maj Gen Rabee Abdallah Adam.

A fact-finding committee has also been formed that will assess the security situation in the region.

Source: Radio Dabanga

Sudanese massively took to the streets across the country on Tuesday, the first anniversary of the coup, to mark their rejection of the military rule, as the police killed one protester.

To discourage Sudanese from participating in the pro-democracy marches, the military-led government closed the bridges linking the three cities of the capital Khartoum and blocked internet access.

However, tens of thousands of anti-coup protesters marched in 19 towns across the country to show their opposition to the coup, which brought insecurity, economic disaster and a high level of corruption similar to the former regime.

The Sudanese police used water cannons, tear gas and live ammunition to disperse the protesters who chanted anti-coup slogans calling to hand over power to civilians.

The Emergency lawyers confirmed the use of live bullets to disperse protests in Khartoum and denounced the “collusion” of internet provider companies with the security services, as they shut down the internet from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Despite the peaceful character of the protests and the massive popular participation, a police vehicle brutally ran over a protester who was killed on the spot.

“Abu al-Qasim Osama Abdel-Wahab, 20 years old, was killed in Al-Ardah neighbourhood of Omdurman, after being run over by a police vehicle,” said the lawyers.

The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCS), which was the first to confirm Abdel Wahab’s death, denounced the violation of the neutrality of medical facilities by the security forces.

The CCSD said the security forces took a position inside the military hospital in Omdurman to fire tear gas on the protesters.

To justify the crackdown on the protesters, the police issued a statement saying they dealt with trained groups organized in military formations.

Similar protests took place in Atbara, Port Sudan Wad Madani, Kassala, Kadoguli, El Fasher , Kosti, Nyala, El Geneina, Zalingei among other towns.

Banned NCP calls for protests

The banned National Congress Party (NCP) of the former regime called on Tuesday for protests to reject any political settlement with the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) to restore a civilian-led democratic transition.

In a post on his Facebook page, Ibrahim Ghandour, NCP leading figure called to take part in the “Dignity Demonstrations” on Saturday, October 29, to reject any deal bringing back to power the “agents of the (foreign) embassies,” in Khartoum as he wrote.

Also, the People of Sudan Initiative, gathering groups allied with the former regime, announced its participation in the rally of October 29.

The Initiative, headed by a religious leader close to the NCP, recently launched a call for a dialogue involving the former regime to restore a transitional government.

The coalition leaders voiced their support for the military component and its leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

As part of his efforts to establish a broad political base for his military government, al-Burhan released many Islamists from prison, accommodated former President Omer al-Bashir who is now residing in a private hospital, reinstated their elements in the civil service and restored their humanitarian groups.

Source: Sudan Tribune

KAMPONG SPEU, Oct 25 (NNN-AKP) – Cambodia dispatched a new batch of 346 peacekeepers, to join a United Nations peacekeeping mission, in war-torn African nations of Mali and South Sudan, yesterday.

The new batch was originally scheduled to replace the existing team in both African countries in 2019, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Foreign Minister, Prak Sokhonn, who is also chairman of the National Coordination Committee, for U.N. Peacekeeping Operations Mission.

“Cambodia has become one of the leading countries in sending its deminers, to alleviate the suffering of other people, affected by the effects of war,” he said, during a farewell ceremony held at the Training School for Multinational Peacekeeping Forces, here.

The nation first sent troops overseas on the U.N. peacekeeping missions in 2006.

“Until 2022, Cambodia dispatched a total of 8,302 peacekeepers, to join the U.N. peacekeeping missions in nine countries, namely Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, the Central African Republic, Lebanon, Cyprus, Syria, Mali, and Yemen,” Sokhonn said. “Currently, 801 Cambodian peacekeepers are still performing their duties in South Sudan, Lebanon, Mali and the Central African Republic.”

Gen. Sem Sovanny, director-general of the National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces, said that, of the new batch, 273 peacekeepers would be deployed to Mali and 73 to South Sudan.

The peacekeepers included airfield engineers, deminers and military medics, he said.

Sardar Umar Alam, acting coordinator of the United Nations in Cambodia, said, Mali and South Sudan were a long way from home, and this mission would undoubtedly challenge the peacekeepers professionally and personally.

“Your service does great honour to your country, and to Cambodia’s contribution to international peace, security and friendship,” he said. “Your dedication to helping others and sharing your skills with other countries affected by conflict, will provide value, a source of hope, and encouragement to many people.”

Source: Nam News Network

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – Revolutionary Democratic Current SPLM-N RDC led by Yasir Arman Monday said favourable for reviewing the Juba Peace Agreement but opposed its cancellation.

The Revolutionary Democratic Current (RDC) amicably spilt from the SPLM-N of Malik Agar last August following a disagreement over the coup d’état that dissolved the civilian-led government.

On Monday, the RDC National Central Council held its first meeting, where the leading members deliberated and endorsed a number of major decisions determining the main features of the newly formed group.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune after the meeting, the group said they discussed the Juba peace agreement, which is contested by many political groups, as some call to repeal it while others stress the need to renegotiate some chapters.

“The meeting discussed the Juba Agreement for Peace in Sudan and it was agreed that cancelling it is wrong and keeping it as is not possible,” reads the statement.

However, the participants agreed that the peace deal should be reviewed while preserving the gains of the masses in the war-affected areas and underscored the need to resolve the issue of eastern Sudan.

A committee has been formed to mull over the peace deal and make proposals on how it should be reviewed, announced the signatory group.

Political parties, particularly the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), say the armed groups should be fully disarmed before the general elections at the end of the transition, as the deal provides that the full merger of the armed groups take place after the elections.

Native administrations in eastern Sudan, the Blue Nile area and the Darfur region, particularly in the Jebel Mara area, say the agreement gives power to some ethnic minority groups and call to cancel it.

The leadership council picked Buthina Dinar as the deputy chairperson of the movement.

The military leaders who negotiated the deal with the armed groups did not involve the tribal leaders and other stakeholders in the peace process.

Also, the meeting adopted a strategy to build a democratic movement connecting rural and urban areas, to upgrade the movement’s platform and organizational structures.

The group reiterated its adherence to the New Sudan vision, pointing to the need to ensure the sustainability of civil rule, the separation between religion and state, and building a citizenship state without discrimination.

The leadership council also said they would strive to establish a broad civil front that runs in a unified list in any upcoming elections to complete the goals of the December Revolution through elections and the peaceful transfer of power.

The meeting, in addition, discussed the change of the group name, but the final decision was referred to the national convention.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The SPLM-N Democratic Revolutionary Movement split-off group headed by Yasir Arman, former political advisor to the government of Abdallah Hamdok, called on the Sudanese in a statement yesterday to join the demonstrations against the coup d’état that took place on October 25 one year ago. This weekend, the group’s Central Council members met for the first time and agreed to focus on the Sudanese “living in the countryside”.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North-Democratic Revolutionary Movement (DRM) was formed after Malik Agar, leader of the SPLM-N Agar and member of the Sovereignty Council, and his deputy Yasir Arman “amicably” agreed to split in mid-August this year.

In its statement posted on social media on Monday, the Central Leadership Council of the DRM said that the meeting “in which the members of the council inside and outside Sudan participated” was held at the movement’s offices in Khartoum on 22-23 October.

Yasir Arman was elected president of the DRM, Buseina Dinar vice president.

The group agreed to “deal with a revolution, not a political crisis”. The members emphasised the importance to separate religion from the state, to build a nation based on democracy and citizenship without discrimination, and form “a broad civil front that will join possible upcoming elections with a unified list to complete the tasks of the glorious [2018] December revolution through a peaceful transfer of power”.

In the discussions, the council members noted that the vast majority of the Sudanese live in the countryside, and that “the destruction inflicted on them has led to large, unproductive migrations towards cities, towns, and neighbouring rural areas, where the state has been unable to provide services.

Therefore, the DRM adopted “a strategy to build a democratic membership movement linking the countryside with the city”, while adhering to “the vision of a new Sudan” based on civil society, and “sustainable governance”.

“Real reform must lead to the restoration of the productive face of the countryside and the modernisation of agriculture and herds grazing. One of the basics of national economic reform is to pay attention to the people of the countryside and the city together,” the members agreed.

The DRM as well prioritised the reform of the security, military and justice sectors, respect for human rights, the Rule of Law, the lifting of impunity [of the various security forces], and the principle of accountability.

The meeting further discussed the Juba Peace Agreement, signed by the Sudanese government of Abdallah Hamdok and the members of the Sudan Revolutionary Front rebel alliance in the South Sudanese capital in October 2020. The participants agreed that the political contents must be reviewed “while the gains for the war zones should be preserved and the urgent issue of eastern Sudan should be resolved in an equitable manner and with the participation of all stakeholders”.

The DRM Central Council also stressed the need to strengthen the Forces for Freedom and Change alliance “by opening up to the forces of the revolution without conditions” and giving a voice to the resistance committees in the country.

“The December Revolution provided the will, the environment, and the human resources needed for change, to build a new Sudan, as the current nation is aging and unable to carry out its tasks.”

The statement concluded by calling for wide public participation in the October 25 demonstrations “to end the coup”.

Source: Radio Dabanga

Faculty members of 33 Sudanese universities have agreed to resume their strike because the authorities will not respond to all their demands, which include an improved salary structure. Sudanese schoolteachers are also considering to re-embark on a strike.

The university staff’s demands are related to a number of employment conditions. One is about allowing Doctors (PhD holders) of retirement age to continue giving their lectures as long as they are willing and able to do so.

The faculty members also demand an improved salary structure for the year 2023.

The Sudanese University Lecturers Committee said in a statement on Sunday that 96 percent of the lecturers voted for a resumption of their strike.

Strikes around unpaid dues and unmet promises already took place in February and in March lecturers went on strike after the ‘unconstitutional’ dismissal of 30 university directors, who were replaced by people chosen by coup leader and Commander of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan.

School teachers

Sudanese schoolteachers are also considering to re-embark on a strike. They demand increased wages.

The Sudanese Teachers Committee (STC) announced meetings in the entire country today to discuss escalation and strike possibilities after the deadline set for the authorities to respond to their memorandum by the end of the week.

The committee said in a statement on Sunday that it decided to send delegations to communicate with the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, and the state governments to find out the responses of these bodies to the wage memorandum.

The committee also confirmed its adherence to the establishment of an elected teachers’ union with branches in the states.

Earlier this year, the teachers’ committee organised a nationwide comprehensive strike after not receiving their full financial dues, including payments that were owed to them as far back as 2020.

In April, their strike efforts led to a meeting with El Burhan, who is also Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, which resulted in pledges by the Ministry of Finance.

However, the STC accused the ministry of making a U-turn on its promises and ignoring the arrangements earlier this month.

Too few teachers

The EU Commission for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid remarked today that “sadly, nearly 7 million of Sudan’s children aged between 6 and 18 – or a third of school-aged girls and boys – do not go to school. A further 12 million face significant learning disruptions due to a lack of teachers, infrastructure and an enabling learning environment”.

The lack of teachers and safe learning environments was also lamented by aid groups and International Education News.

Source: Radio Dabanga