Sudan Uprising: Ramadan Inside Al Qeyada

As May arrived, carrying in its winds the smell of Abrai and voices of Imaams praying taraweeh, marking the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan, the protesters welcome and are eager to greet May and Ramadan at the front doors of their newly founded home, Al Qeyada, surrounding the headquarters of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

Four long and significant months have passed since Sudan uprising first began in December 2018. During these months a despised autocrat, former Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir, was deposed of, replaced with another, former First Vice President of Sudan and Chairman of Transitional Military Council (TMC), Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf, and then he was replaced with yet another one, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan.

Since the Sudan uprising began, almost 100 lives were lost and tens of thousands more found their voices to speak up and express themselves through anti-government chants, poetry, music, art, speeches and more, calling for ‘Freedom, Peace and Justice’. While protesters showed no intentions to back down or accept anything short of what they are asking for – a civilian government free of any traces and remnants of the previous military regime – four months ago, they sure did not expect themselves to spend Ramadan at the military headquarters.

Since the deposition of Al Bashir, protesters had hoped for a gentle and swift transition to a civilian government as it is the number one demand of the protests. However, TMC, which has since changed facets twice, doesn’t not seem to be willing to allow a civilian government to rule and are instead stalling in a bid to placate the demonstration and eventually break it down. In a series of press conferences and discussions between TMC and the Alliance for Freedom and Change, TMC made it clear that they want to break up the mass demonstrations. TMC attempted to do so several times, leaving protesters highly doubtful and questionable of the ongoing talks, and further empowering them to stay in Al Qeyada.

With that in mind, protesters were left with no choice but to stand their ground in fear that the benefits of the mass sit-in and uprising would be reaped by others; namely TMC.

On 3 May, the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces issued a statement saying that the people will keep the barricades up and strong until the demands of the people are met. This meant Ramadan will be spent in Al Qeyada with posing challenges such as the military attempting to break up barricades and remove resources such as water from Al Qeyada.

رمضان باقي ليه أسبوع، الناس تفكر بجدية في كيفية التعامل مع الشمس والحر مع ظروف الصيام.
قال علي بن أبي طالب: (قال أحب ثلاثا: إكرام الضيف – الصوم بالصيف – وضرب العدو بالسيف)
اها نحنا عندنا اعتصام وضيوف.
رمضان في الصيف.
عدو (نظام) محتاج يسقط بسيف الثورة.#اعتصام_القيادة_العامة

— Thawragy (@ThawragySD) April 29, 2019

رسالة إلى المجلس العسكري :
بيان رقم ميتين من تجمع المسفوهين، اما بعد:

متاريس ما فاكين
بيوت ما راجعين
حكم عسكر ما راضين
رمضان في القيادة صايمين#اعتصام_القياده_العامه pic.twitter.com/u96HLONwpt

— تجمع المسفوهين السودانيين (@Mssfouhin_SD) April 30, 2019

رمضان بعد اربعة ايام وضروري نحضر تجهزات رمضان للاعتصام ياريت الناس تراجع لجان الاعتصام وتشوف احتياجاتهم وياريت لجان الاعتصام تحصر متطلبات رمضان ونبدأ نجهزها
وصابنها فطورنا وتراوحينا وتهجدنا وعيدنا في الاعتصام #مليونيه_الحريه_والتغيير #اعتصام_القياده_العامه

— Salma | سلمى 🦋 (@salma1siddig) May 1, 2019

في القيادة، جينا نملى البراميل موية شراب
منعونا، وقالوا جات تعليمات للجيش انو مايدو المواطنين موية … رمضان كيفن ياجماعة؟

— Muaz Osman 🍉 (@Mu3azOsman) May 1, 2019

صايمين رمضان في الميدان
انا واحده من الحيصومو رمضان في القياده بإذن الله ♥️#رمضاني_احلي_في_القياده

— 🇸🇩آليَا الكَنْزِي (@ekanzzy) May 3, 2019

Regardless, the preparations for Ramadan continued. By the end of April, Al Qeyada was ready for the holy month, which began on 6 May. Ramadan decorations were the first to go up with pole and tree lights brightening up Al Qeyada. Air-conditioned tents have been erected in Al Qeyada, as an iftar saem initiative to feed fasting protesters.

*مبادرة إفطار ثائر*

*مقدمة*
نحن بصدد تجهيز وجبات إفطار لشهر رمضان المبارك بالتنسيق مع لجنة الإعتصام لسد النقص الناتج من كبر حجم الكتلة البشرية في ميدان الإعتصام، هذه المبادرة مكملة لمبادرات أخرى مثل (صدقات والمطبخ المركزي للإعتصام).

— مبادرة إفطار ثائر🌿♥️ (@YLNBTFA) April 28, 2019

و بدينا الزينة 🌙
ما حابين تشاركونا و تساهموا ؟!
رمضان أحلى في السودان …@New_sudan1 #retweet#اعتصام_القيادة_العامة pic.twitter.com/JK13s1r3Zh

— Monia (@moniaahmed1) April 30, 2019

👐👐
من القيادة
تم تجهيز بعض الزينه باماكن في القياده
وذلك ترحيبا بالشهر الكريم شهر رمضان ♥ 😊#اعتصام_القياده_العامه#تسقط_بس pic.twitter.com/frfsiLuj9Y

— Hassan Osman ↯ (@kingTwixa) May 2, 2019

تجهيز الصالات المكيفه لـ رمضان في القياده

سقطت ماسقطت صابنها #اعتصام_القياده_العامه pic.twitter.com/0SZEoW9mxp

— Salma | سلمى 🦋 (@salma1siddig) May 3, 2019

خيم رمضان ذات المكيفات بدت تدقا ♥️
صبة بي مزاج ولا أذيع سرا.. ❤️
الشاشات جاية لناس المسلسلات والأفلام من امجد استور 💪
وبالنسبة لناس البلي استيشن والبلياردو بعد التراويح حماس الف . أرقدوا قفا تب✌😍
واي فاي مجاني كمان
الفي شنَو والمافي شنَو 😂😂
رمضان احلي في القيادة 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/AsUlyBmozr

— زول سوداني (@tmr20027) May 3, 2019

الهتاف في القيادة الآن :
رمضان كريم ما منو خوف، يسقط برهان زي إبن عوف ..😂😂#اعتصام_القياده_العامه #منبر_المغردين_السودانيين #مدنيّة_بس

— درويشة المليـــونية🇸🇩 (@Amy_mo26) May 3, 2019

Images and videos of protesters performing mass taraweeh on the eve of Ramadan on 5 May, followed by images of the first iftar of Ramadan on 6 May in Al Qeyada have been shared on social media.

First night of #Ramadan evening prayers (taraweeh) at the sit-in in Khartoum, #Sudan #SudanUprising #RamadanMubarak pic.twitter.com/SK53Ipzn9B

— Isma’il Kushkush (@ikushkush) May 5, 2019

#Sudan 🇸🇩: protesters praying on the first night of #Ramadan at the #Khartoum sit-in. pic.twitter.com/H0Gvb2Z4m3

— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) May 5, 2019

🎉🎉Eftar #Ramadan(Breakfast)at the sit-in in front the Military HQ after 1 month #sudan_revolts 🇸🇩💕🎉, #SudanUprising #RamadanMubarak @globalnewsto @CPAC_TV @BenDoBrown @AlisonSmith___ @sudanreeves @Manwar_13 @MAbubakrs @BSonblast @Moez_Ibra @CBCNews pic.twitter.com/vS7EXWn6ug

— Hani BASHIR (@hbashirh) May 6, 2019

Ramadan will be difficult for the protesters as they will have to fast for approximately 14 hours under the scorching sun and high temperatures throughout May, but it is with the same spirit that these protesters kept their head up for the past few months. They plan to stay strong for as long as it takes until their demands are met; through Ramadan and beyond.

Who will be the last man standing? The people of Sudan or TMC? Only time will tell.

Afnan Hassab describes herself as your typical dreamy millennial. A 22-year-old surgeon-in-the-making by morning and a struggling writer and blogger, by night. Dedicated humanitarian, unwavering feminist, relentless debater, obsessive cleaner and a coffee addict among other things. Born and raised in Jeddah, KSA. Went to college in Sudan. Based somewhere between these two countries and more.