First Day of Eid in Sudan Marked with Funeral Processions and Protests

Sudan is split on when Eid Al Fitr begins. The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), the umbrella of 15 different Sudanese trade unions spearheading the months-long protests have announced 4 June 2019 as the first day of Eid Al Fitr. However, the Transitional Military Council (TMC) have announced it will fall on 5 June 2019.

Regardless, many are not celebrating Eid Al Fitr calling it ‘Eid Shaheed’ after government forces began shooting at peaceful protesters in an attempt to disassemble the mass sit-in in Al Qeyada at the headquarters of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which left at least 35 dead and over 100 critically injured on 3 June 2019.

SPA call for Sudanese to mark Eid tomorrow by gathering in public places everywhere in Sudan for both the Eid prayer and funeral prayers for the people killed today. https://t.co/oqAuqXgWBk

— Kaamil Ahmed (@KaamilAhmed) June 3, 2019

Sudan always followed KSA’s Eid announcement. KSA is celebrating Eid today. However, Sudan’s National Tv announced that it’s on Wednesday in order to prevent people from aggregating again; after Eid prayer.

Politicised Islam at its best. #SudanUprising #مجزره_القياده_العامه

— Scintilla (@errfnern) June 4, 2019

no one should celebrate Eid tomorrow….. #مجزرة_القيادة_العامة pic.twitter.com/h8pCDE9Oxk

— raneem.🌈 #Clè2_YellowWood (@Changneem) June 3, 2019

Videos shared on social media show people preparing and praying Eid Al Fitr prayer and paying tribute to those who were killed yesterday by government forces known as Rapid Support Forces (RSF) or Janjaweed. 

بنجهز لصلاة العيد جبرة مربع ١٥ pic.twitter.com/jOoHchjroa

— MO (@MOyousifAli) June 4, 2019

In some neighbourhoods in Khartoum, protesters took to the streets after Eid prayers.

شارع اوماك قبل قليل #مجزرة_القيادة_العامة pic.twitter.com/IB2YgBFbnR

— خُـلود بت مناهل✨ (@5ulood35) June 4, 2019

بدء الهتاف في امتداد ناصر
“الفاطرين ثوار و الصائمين كيزان”
6:55#مجزره_القياده_العامه pic.twitter.com/zUusLw0LaB

— Rila (@rilamohammed_) June 4, 2019

#عيد_شهيد
اعتصام بورتسودان
صلاة العيد وصلاة الغائب على أرواح الشهداء #مجزره_القياده_العامه pic.twitter.com/bdfNThiCl8

— Amel f abueissa (@AbueissaAmel) June 4, 2019

As RSF and other government forces are still on the streets, protesters are continuing rebuilding and placing new barricades on main streets and within their neighbourhoods.

More than 200 vehicles of the RSF and other forces in the Almashtal Street in Khartoum to dismantle the barricades.#SudanUprising pic.twitter.com/9X6KEhrb9e

— Sudanese Translators for Change STC (@SudaneseTc) June 4, 2019

Video shows protestors of Shambat, a neighborhood in Khartoum, setting up barricades yesterday after the massacre committed by the TMC against the peaceful protestors at the vicinity of the Army Headquarters in Khartoum. #SudanUprising pic.twitter.com/SeLrtqe2QH

— Sudanese Translators for Change STC (@SudaneseTc) June 4, 2019

SPA have called on protesters to continue blocking roads, streets and bridges with barricades of rocks, stones, burning tyres and more. In addition, SPA has called on an indefinite national strike or civil disobedience until TMC specifically Burhan and Hemedti step down.

After the bloody massacre and in the early hours of Tuesday, 4 June 2019, in a televised statement, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan, the head of TMC, announced that TMC has decided to cancel all agreements with the Alliance of Freedom and Change and will move ahead with elections to be held within nine months. TMC will now set up an interim government to prepare for elections, which would be internationally supervised.

Protests are expected to continue, calling for an interim civilian government to lead.

What You Need to Know About What’s Happening in Sudan Right Now