Earlier today, an estimated group of 50,000 Sudanese hit the streets in opposition to Omar al-Bashir, and the National Congress Party. Bashir, who is an indicted war criminal governing on the run from the ICC, is up for re-election in elections scheduled for April 2010.
This demonstration was spawned in reaction to political events last Monday, December7th, 2009 in Khartoum in which political leaders including SPLM Secretary General, Pagan Amum and his Deputy for Northern Sector, Yasir Arman, were unlawfully arrested and taken to police custody. They addressed the crowds today. This large demonstration occurred peacefully because it took place in South Sudan, away from the tight grip of Bashir’s security services. Northern Bahr El Ghazal State Governor, Maj. Gen. Pual Malong Awan, voiced that “the old Sudan was gone forever and the destiny of the people of marginalized areas would never be dictated by anyone other than the people themselves.”
The Juba group that organized the demonstration on Monday postponed another rally today in Khartoum, but there is word that they will mobilize people in the streets next Monday. They also announced that they had notified the police that they would hold “seminars” in and around Khartoum in the coming days (in Arabic).
More information to come…
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
Tags: Darfur, Omar al-Bashir, South Sudan, Sudan
