Demonstrations across the world against Bashir
Omar Al Bashir and the regime must go – End the genocide
Unions and social movements to support this struggle!
Martin Ralph
International Socialist League
We salute all the millions of Sudanese who are determined to get rid of Omar Al-Bashir and his regime and the countless refugees who are forced to live in many other countries. We thank especially the fighters and refugees who presented information contained in this article.
People have been killed in over 150 cities by the army, their snipers and militia thugs RSF (Rapid Support Forces) of Bashir. Hundreds have been killed because there is a full-blown revolt against the genocidist government. Those who died were part of demonstrations in the regions that include Darfur, Blue Mountains, Kardafan and Blue Nile. The uprising, this time, is involving the whole country.
The first protest was in eastern city of Atbara on 19 December in protest against the tripling of bread prices and rapidly rising fuel prices and spread across the country as many thousands of people took to the streets. Bread queues last from morning until night, but people say there is no bread or petrol.
A family with six children and with one wage earner may have a wage of 1000 Sudanese Pounds (SDG). It is not enough to last one week. One loaf costs 3SDGs, a bus ticket 15SDGs, about 500 SDG is needed daily, so a “normal” wage does not even come close to survive.
Repression
The government has closed schools, colleges and universities since 20 December and surrounded some in Khartoum with heavy security. The internet has been closed down and the army even stopped a wedding because they are trying to prevent any assembly of people.
On 28 December raids and detentions took place against the members of the United People’s Front (UPF), the Sudan Liberation Movement / Army (SLA) in the Sudanese universities and higher institutes and a number of members of a strong coalition and activists in anticipation of the demonstrations. They were tortured and forced to say they were Mossad agents. But these types of dirty tricks can no longer stop the struggle.
“Amjed Farid, a leading civil society member who spent the first four months of 2018 in detention, said two-thirds of the country’s budget went on “security and sovereignty”, compared with less than 5% on health, education and social services combined. The economic crisis itself is of a political nature. It’s been caused by the mismanagement and corruption of those at the top of the regime,” he said. His point was echoed by those spending their days on the street.” Ruth Maclean, 30 December Guardian.
Meanwhile the government uses money it takes from the people and services to buy guns to kill the people. Bashir is selling the country for example he sold the Sudanese airline to Qatar. It also gets money from the European Union to build detention centres, but much of the money is also spent on “security” that is buying arms from Saudia Arabia and China to repress and kill the population.
The uprising continues
Protests have continued in the capital Khartoum, and Atbara, Port Sudan and Madani. Even in separated South Sudan there are big demonstrations in Yuba (capital of South Sudan) refugee camps. The army arrested 100 people in the city of Atbara, which is the area the president came from.
The main demand is the fall of the Bashir and his government because “For 30 years, this is what the Sudanese people have been getting from Bashir: killing, killing, killing and more killing.” Hansaa Al Kaarib, a Sudanese human rights lawyer and activist. https://mg.co.za/article/2018-12-30-anger-over-dictatorship-not-bread-fuelling-sudan-uprising
Part of a typical song, that are now also sung even at weddings, includes:
“we need the country to be equal
we need a new Sudan to be democratic
we need free education
we need free health
we need new infrastructure
Bashir, we do not want you anymore”
International backers of Bashir
Yet Sudan is the 3rd largest country in Africa, which has great resources which could feed the population and develop the economy, instead Bashir and his international backers has destroyed Sudan.
That Bashir deals with Saudi Arabia arms means the West know. The USA, UK and France sell weapons to the Saudi government and send military advisers to help in their use including the genocide against Yemen.
“In October 2017 the US announced the permanent lifting of a raft of sanctions, stating that the African nation had begun addressing its concerns about terrorism. This summer, Saudi Arabia agreed to supply Sudan with oil for the next five years to help in tackling its energy crisis, after Bashir sent troops to support the Saudi-backed government in the bloody Yemeni civil war.” https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/donald-trump-omar-al-bashir-visit-syria-assad-sudan-damascus-rehabilitation-middle-east-a8687071.html
International solidarity action
The national wide uprising is supported across the world by demonstrations in the UK: London, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool and Leicester. In France: Paris, Lyon and Marseille. And also, in the Netherlands, Norway and the USA (New York).
We must support the Sudanese uprising and the refugees in the UK with acts of solidarity and support. We call on all trade unions and community organisations fighting for justice to support the Sudanese demonstrations against the government.
We must not forget that the Tory government sent representatives in the last two years to deepen trade relations with Bashir, including the then Foreign Minister Boris Johnson. So, behind the genocide are also the governments of the USA and Europe including Britain and France who sell weapons and militarily advise Saudi Arabia.
They can do all these things and yet nothing is done to arrest Bashir and take him to the International Criminal Court where he has been charged with genocide. His recent travel included a meeting with Assad in Syria to which he travelled in a Russian plane, as economic ties increase with Russia.
We call on the trade union and social movement in the UK (and the world) to show solidarity with the Sudanese uprising. Support their demonstrations
Stop UK government and business trade and aid with Sudan (aid is used to buy weapons)
End all weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and all trade with Sudan until the government falls.
Stop the EU “refugee solution” that includes millions of pounds for Sudanese government detention camps.
Omar Al-Bashir to International Criminal Court
A letter from the Sudanese uprising
Arrests, arrests and raids against UPF students, SLA / SLA students and a number of members of a strong coalition and activists.
The security services of the genocidal system carried out in the early hours of Friday morning, December 28, 2018, raids and detentions against the comrades of the United People’s Front (UPF), the Sudan Liberation Movement / Army (SLA) in the Sudanese universities and higher institutes and a number of members of a strong coalition and activists in anticipation of the demonstrations. Which was announced in a number of Sudanese cities, including the capital, Khartoum.
The security forces carried out an attack on the UPF students’ dormitory in Al-Darushab area at 2:00 am amid intense gunfire that caused panic among the residents of the neighbourhood.
- Mahdi Abdel Hadi, a student of the Master University Azim Azhari.
- Zine El Abidine Hassan Soliman, student at Al-Azim Azhari University, Political Science.
- Mu’tasim Mohammed Abu Al-Qasim, Al-Azim Azhari fourth level.
- Saleh Yacoub Omar, a student at Al-Zaeem Al-Azhari University of Political Sciences, Level III.
- Sulaiman Abker Suleiman, Public Health Student Level III.
- Mustafa Mohammed Ishaq, Al-Azim Azhari fourth level.
- AbdulRaoof Idris Omar, a student at the University of Khartoum Faculty of Science.
We were unable to know the health status of the detained students, whether they were shot or not, and also did not know about the names of the other detained students.
We confirm to the masses of the Sudanese movement and people that the arrests or assassinations against the membership of the movement will not intimidate us or stop our resistance to the regime, we were and are still in a comprehensive confrontation with the regime will end only with its crushing defeat and trial of symbols and the building of the state of equal citizenship.
We know full well that the path of freedom and dignity is not furnished with flowers and wind. We will offer all sacrifices for change, blood, tears and shrapnel, and we will not let down our martyrs and our noble and mighty people throughout the country and the Diaspora.
The regime wants to drag us to violence through this selective and racist targeting and the vicious media campaign against the SLA / A movement led by Professor Abdel Wahed Mohamed Ahmed El Nour, but we pledge to the masses of our people the teacher and youth of the brave uprising we will exercise the utmost restraint and not be dragged behind the schemes of the regime. We will be committed to the peaceful movement of the masses despite the violence, oppression and abuse of our comrades and the attempts to divide the Sudanese and the Intifada on the basis of geographical, regional and ethnic hatred.
We call upon the masses of our people in the squares, streets and residential neighbourhoods to continue the resistance and the peaceful uprising. The regime is close to the resounding fall, leaving only the surrender of the indomitable will of the people. The commitment to the peaceful movement of the masses and the failure to respond to the provocations of the regime. the system.
Expand your cells
Freedom for the honourable … Freedom for the homeland
Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al – Nair
Spokesman for the SLM / A
28 December 2018
