21 November 2024
Apr 13, 2019 by Afnan Hassab -

Everything You Need to Know About What’s Happening in Sudan Right Now: Part I

  Artwork by Mohammed Badry

In the early hours of 11 April, Sudan’s military announced that they will be making a statement that will be broadcasted on national TV and all radio stations. A few hours later, news of the step down of Sudan’s president Omar Al-Bashir took over broadcast stations and channels.

Despite the news of the ousting of Al-Bashir and the end of his 30 year reign, the people of Sudan were still concerned about what was to follow in the statement. As the people of Sudan waited for the statement to be made, rumors and news about the arrest of many Sudanese political authorities including Al-Bashir himself and about 100 personnels close to him and news of a military coup took social media by storm, leaving many more worried about the future.

Protesters and social media activists raised concerns about the Sudan uprising and what seemed like the fate of their revolution being in the hands of an unknown entity that was yet to make an announcement. However, after hours of crippling fear and anxiety, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which has been spearheading the protests, issued a statement calling on the people of Sudan to head towards the headquarters of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Khartoum and in other cities in Sudan as well. It also stated that no matter what the outcome of the statement is, the Sudan uprising is not over until the demands of the people are met.

Large crowds of men, women and children marched towards SAF driven by excitement and happiness over the ousting Al-Bashir. It was a surreal moment for the Sudanese people.

 

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Around midnight and after almost eight hours of waiting, Defense Minister Awad Ibn Awf appeared on the screens of the Sudan’s National TV and all radio stations to give out a statement in which he said that Al-Bashir has been ousted and that the military will be overseeing a two-year transitional period followed by elections towards a new regime.

In his statement, he declared that the country will be in an emergency state for a three month period and a night-time curfew will be instated for one month from 10 pm to 4 am and the country will be shut down for 24 hours. He also said that they are holding Al-Bashir in a safe place and did not give out any more information.

However, many described Ibn Awf’s statement as vague and ambiguous. He left many questions unanswered including those about who is going to lead the transitional government and the whereabouts of Al-Bashir. Protesters expressed their disapproval and rejection of the new military government and were determined to overthrow this regime as well.

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Following this news, it was announced that all political detainees will be released and the protesters along with the families of the detainees headed to the detention halls awaiting their release. Pictures of the release of activists such as Mohammed Naji Alasam who was detained for over three months, Nazim Siraj and Hisham Ahmed and more, flooded social media. 

 

 

Moment Badr Aldeen Salih was released. 

Many said that the ousting of Al-Bashir isn’t the end and only satisfies half of what they are protesting and that they will continue to protest until a complete transition towards a fair democratic regime is in place and all demands are met.

 

 

 

To some, the fall of Al-Bashir is only half of their demands. The revolution has just begun.

 

   

 

Some even described Awd Ibn Awf as another face to the same coin wJ6궐f,qhhv/>C}Ra{ÈaS ! “They took one thief and replaced him with another thief. Same way it fell once it will fall again.” And “They took the Koz we don’t want and replaced him with a koz worse than the last one” echoed in the streets of the entire country as demonstrations and protests were staged all across the country.

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Some cities though, like Wad Medani faced great violence and resistance where some fell to their demise of civilians and army, making the number of martyrs who fell since April 6th a total of 22 martyrs.

     

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Later that day, Awad Ibn Awf was sworn in as the head of the military transitional government with Kamal Abdelmarouf as his First Vice president.

Leaving no room for doubt or confusion, SPA made a statement early on stating that nothing can stop the tide of the revolution whatsoever and telling the people to break the newly instated curfew. Following their orders, the demonstration site in front of the military headquarters witnessed a large influx of protesters coming to join the sit-in and to spend the night despite not knowing what the consequences of breaking this curfew will be.

   

 

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The protesters continued to chant and sing all night long and the night was uneventful yet peaceful. In the following morning of 12th April, the new military council held a press conference in which they said that they have no solutions for the economic state of the country but their main concern is the safety and stability of this country and that they are willing to sit with the protesters and discuss possible solutions and that they are very flexible and if people ask them to decrease the period of transition they are willing to do so.

   

They also said that Salah Gosh is a part of the change and that he will remain a part of the regime. When asked about the fate of Omar Al-Bashir who’s whereabouts are still unknown to the people of Sudan, they said that Al-Bashir is being reserved and that they have no intentions of handing him to ICC as it is against their morals and standards and no such thing will happen during their two year rule and that the people are free to do what they want once their ruling comes to an end. They then said that they have zero tolerance for bloodshed and that they will try every one.

 

   

 

Even though their words were very carefully chosen, many were offended and angered by the statements they made saying that they are full of threats and that they are only perpetuating the same cycle that enabled al-Bashir regime and that the allegedly new transitional government is nothing but the old one in disguise.

 

Furthermore, people gathered to perform Jumaa prayer at the demonstration at the military headquarters in Khartoum. The protesters also performed Absentee Funeral prayer upon all the martyrs of Sudan Uprising who were killed in the protests that sparked in December 2018 and also in 2013

 

Prior to the fall of the regime, SPA has already called upon the people of Sudan to perform Friday prayers at the demonstration site in hopes to motivate and gather more people.

Picture of Sudanese Copts holding sheets to provide shade to Sudanese Muslims as they perform Friday prayer.

   

 

 

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.

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