Africa

DR Congo has one of the largest contingents of UN peacekeepers in the world.

After fleeing terrorist attacks, as well as clashes between Government forces and militia, more than 2,000 newly displaced Nigerians have arrived in an already over-stretched camp known as Teacher’s Village, in Maiduguri, the capital of the country’s Borno State.

Unless political actors in Guinea-Bissau demonstrate renewed good faith to hold “genuinely free and fair elections,” the country is set to face a continuous cycle of instability, the United Nations Security Council warned on Thursday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned an armed attack in Al Jala Hospital in Libya’s second-largest city of Benghazi, which took place on Tuesday, warning that further assaults could shutter the key facility.

By Mohamed Elshabik

One of Sudan's most distinguished figures in investigative journalism, Sudanese veteran journalist, Idriss Hassan (1937-2018), died Sunday 16 December in Khartoum at the age of 81 years. He worked for Al-Mustaghbal, Al-Thawrah and Khartoum News Agency and was the former editor-in-chief of Al-Raay Al-Aam, Al-Akhbar, Al-Ayaam, and founder and Chief Editor of the short-lived Al-Wihdaa (Unity) newspaper.

His legacy, however, is not just about investigative journalism, Idris was also known for his integrity, intelligent analysis, sensational memory and meticulous work. His courage and bold aptitude and willingness to confront and stand firm in face of numerous dictatorships in Sudanese history to get the truth was epitomised by his ability to shape and direct public opinion during his leading days in the journalism industry. Idris Hassan possessed a journalistic instinct that may have averted Sudan from violent decades of war and dictatorship rule should his words have been taken seriously at the time.

Idris Hassan's passion and love for newspapers work began at an early age when he started his career in the field as a newspaper boy before Sudan's independence in 1956. At that time, the circle of newspaper readers was limited to a few politicians and intellectuals from the Khartoum elitist community, known at the time as ‘alafndiya'. This narrow circle offered him the advantage of being surrounded by some of the most influential Sudanese historical politicians and intellectuals during the halcyon days of Sudanese independence in modern history.

Although coming from a background with more allegiance to the National Democratic Party, one of the two big Sudanese political parties, Idris was a nationalist and never confined himself to narrow cells of any political party. His inner circles included figures from all rainbow political parties in the country. There is little doubt that his success and prominence in journalism can be attributed to his combination of social intelligence, interpersonal skills, persistence and hard work that allowed him to progress in his chosen career as a journalist to become one of the pillars of Sudanese journalism.

Idris Hassan, ‘the man, whom we didn't believe,' said the formidable politician and first Prime Minister of Sudan, Ismail al-Azhari (1954-1956) remorsefully, when he met him at the infamous Sudanese Kobar prison in 1969, a few days after JaafarNimeiry's military coup. At the time, Idris had already warned the Prime Minister several times that some military factions were hatching a coup; this was in the last six hours before Nimeiry's move. Idris's connections, fortune and instinct enabled him to make his name as the chief recipient of significant leaks about planned coups in Sudan (failed or successful) during the period between (1958–1989). He documented his authentications in his recently published book ‘My story with military coups in Sudan', his unpublished book project and ‘The Egyptian role in Sudan coups' is yet another powerful record of the man's secret repository of knowledge.

Idris is also remembered in Sudanese memory for being the only Sudanese journalist to witness the Sudan communist party leader's fake trial, Abdul Khaliq Mahjoub, after the short-lived communist-backed coup in July 1971. Idris was one of two credible sources who documented the events of those days, also known as ‘Shajara trials' and the events of ‘the Guest House massacre', and his words still resonate in Sudanese memory for the plight and mystery surrounding these occurrences today. The second source was the French newspaper, Le Monde via its correspondent at the time in Khartoum.

After stepping down from his last position as al-Akhbar Chief Editor in 2011, Idris continued to write his daily column ‘BilaRotoush' for some years in the later period of his professional life. The work environment for journalists and continuous harassment in recent years in Sudan discouraged him, and he became frustrated at the increasing challenges in trying to continue his work and earn a living in his chosen field. Many who ignored, abandoned, and pushed him out, and caused him pain and suffering in his recent few years, came to mourn his demise in the typical Sudanese proverb manner of ‘Aretoyomshokrak ma yje' of honouring those professionals and people who contributed significantly to public life only after their deaths.

Mohamed Elshabik is a Sudanese blogger he can be reached at mohamedelshabik@gmail.com

December 26, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The quadripartite committee between Sudan and Egypt including foreign ministers and heads of intelligence would hold its second meeting on Thursday in Khartoum.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry

Following a meeting held on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa in January, President Omer al-Bashir and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed the tensions between the two courtiers and agreed to form a quadripartite committee to develop a roadmap to restore the relationship to the right track.

In a press release on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Babiker al-Siddig said the meeting would follow up on the implementation of the outcome of the first meeting held in Cairo on 8 February 2018.

He pointed out that the meeting would also discuss ways to enhance all aspects of bilateral relations as well as the regional and international issues of common concern.

The tumultuous relations between Sudan and Egypt experienced in December 2017 a new crisis over media attacks against al-Bashir after a visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Sudan. Also, Sudan accused Egypt and Eritrea of supporting rebel groups to attack the Kassala state on the eastern border.

However, the two countries recently developed joint security cooperation against the opposition groups from both sides.

The main differences between the two neighbours remain the dispute over the border triangle area of Halayeb and the construction of Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam that Sudan backs.

(ST)

December 26, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - A leading member of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) has called to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for the killing of demonstrators during recent protests in Sudan.

In a press conference held on Wednesday, the PCP Political Official Idriss Suleiman called on the government carry out an urgent investigation into the killing of peaceful demonstrators, and to punish the perpetrators. Further, he called for the release of protesters detained following these demonstrations.

The Islamist party which is part of the government of President Omer al-Bashir said in a separate statement that 17 demonstrators were killed and 88 others were injured. It also said the number of the protesters arrested on Tuesday reached 519 people, most of them were later released.

Until now, the number of people killed during the nationwide protests is still not clear.

The government officials say eight people have been killed, while the leader of the National Umma Party Sadiq al-Mahdi said on Saturday they had counted 22 people in separate cities. For its part, Amnesty International in its latest report on Tuesday said that 37 demonstrators were killed by security forces.

Suleiman further urged the government to ensure freedoms and the "right of peaceful expression" in the country.

It worth mentioning that the PCP leadership is under growing pressures of the party's youth who once again on Wednesday called for an immediate end to participation in the government at all levels.

In a related development, the Sudanese parliament on Wednesday decided to summon the Minister of the Interior in an emergency session to discuss the unrest and the violent crackdown of demonstrators.

The Speaker of the National Council, Ibrahim Ahmed Omar, took the decision in response to a request by the independent MP Mohamed Taher Assil who denounced the shooting of protesters.

Last October, Amnesty International recalled that the Sudanese authorities are yet to bring to justice a single person for the killing of at least 185 people who were shot by the Sudanese security agents during the September 2013 protests.

(ST)

December 26, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The London-based Alaraby TV Wednesday said that the Sudanese authorities prevented its team from covering demonstrations in Sudanese cities and ordered its correspondent to leave the country within 24 hours.

On Tuesday several reporters mentioned brutality by security agents while covering the recent demonstrations that took place in Khartoum to protest the difficult living conditions saying they confiscated their mobile telephone and deleted the pictures also some were arrested and other beaten violently.

In a clip posted on the social media, Adnan Jan said he arrived in Khartoum on Tuesday morning on the same day and started the coverage of the protests but after his first reportage he was summoned by the security service.

"They ordered me to leave the country immediately and asked me to sign a commitment that I would never exercise my profession as a journalist from Khartoum," he said.

"We call on the Sudanese authorities to lift the ban on Alaraby TV (local) team in Khartoum," he further said.

In a separate statement, the pan-Arab TV media said the Sudanese satellite services company, which deals with Alaraby TV was also ordered to not air any reporting from the local team of the channel in relation to covering the demonstrations and protests.

The Alaraby TV which is established by former journalists of Al-Jazeera TV to promote change issues and sees itself as a "backer of Arab popular revolutions demanding freedom, justice and dignity," according to its director Abbas Nassir.

Al-Jazeera TV correspondent in Khartoum Ahmed al-Rahaid and his team were also harassed by the security service during their coverage of the protests.

Also, a Sudanese journalist of Al-Sudani newspaper, Yasir Abdalla was brutally beaten by armed men in plain clothes while he was outside the newspaper building.

The journalist who was monitoring the demonstrators was taken to a vehicle without registration plates and beat and insulted him before he was released.

A number of journalists including Azmi Abdel Razek, Tariq Mohamed Osman, Hajo al-Aqra, Mohamed Daoud narrated on the social media platforms that they had taken from the protests by the security forces and subjected to beatings and abuse by the security agents.

In January 2018, the Sudanese security service arrested 15 journalists while they were covering protests against the rising living prices.

(ST)

December 26, 2018 (JUBA) - South Sudanese army chief of staff General Gabriel Jok Riak and the SPLA-IO Deputy Chief of staff Lt. Gen. James Koang Chuol Ranley joined thousands of South Sudanese in Bentiu to celebrate the revitalized peace agreement last Monday.

The function which was organized by the Northern Liech Governor Nguen Monytuil Wijang was also attended by the SPLM-IO Governor of Northern Liech Tor Tunguar who came with an important political and military delegation.

"The SPLA-IO thanks the organizers of the peace celebration for disseminating the peace message to the suffering civilians who desperately need peace now more than anything," said SPLA-IO Deputy Spokesperson Lam Paul Gabriel said in a statement on Wednesday.

The celebration was attended by a huge crowd from Bentinu and IDPs camps in the areas. Also, Gabriel added that some civilians came from Sudan to take part in the event.

Speakers at the celebration reiterated their commitment to the full implementation of the peace agreement. They also vowed to work together to achieve national reconciliation and development of the oil-rich area.

During the five-year civil war, Bentiu witnessed fierce fighting that forced nearly 120,000 civilians to seek refuge at the UN-protected camps in the area.

SPLA-IO Deputy Chief of staff Lt. Gen. James Koang Chuol Ranley arrived in Juba last Thursday 21 December take part in the meeting of the Joint Defence Board (JDB) that exercises command and control over all forces during the Pre-Transitional Period.

Northern Liech Minister of Youth Culture and Sport, Lam Tungwar Kueigwong posted Wednesday on his Facebook page that Governor Manytuil met with SPLA-IO leadership to discuss troops cantonment areas and formation of join forces to deal with crimes across the state including SPLA-IO-controlled areas.

(ST)

By Magdi El Gizouli

Yesterday, 25 December, downtown Khartoum was the scene of a large-scale protest against the rule of President Bashir. The protest was called for by the recently established Sudanese Professionals Association, an alliance of independent professionals' unions including doctors, engineers and pharmacists. University students and younger employees from Sudan's business and service sectors predominated and granted the protest its social media galore compared to the preceding wave of protests in provincial towns beginning in Atbara on 19 December. Already on alert and expectant of the previously announced protest, the security services were strategically positioned to deal with the demonstrators using tear gas and gunfire. According to a statement of the Professionals' Association, eight people sustained gunshot wounds, three at the time of writing were fighting for their lives. Over five hundred people were taken into detention, mostly to be released on the same or the subsequent day.

Meanwhile, President Bashir travelled to Gezira State, south of the capital Khartoum. He addressed a crowd in the town of Wad al-Haddad where he described protesters against his government as “traitors, sellouts, agents and saboteurs”. The president read mostly form his ‘Islamist' dictionary but he was forced to cut his speech short by chants of teer teer ya Bashir, politely translated as ‘bug off oh Bashir' or probably more correctly when considering intent as ‘fuck off oh Bashir' as opposed to the standard seer seer ya Bashir (go on oh Bashir). Live television transmission was abruptly interrupted and the president's motorcade was rushed out to his next stop, al-Sheikh Mekki's village, where he held a 9 minutes speech rich with Quran verses that promise true believers tests and trials as a condition for deliverance and divine support.

Standing behind the president in Wad al-Haddad was al-Fatih Urwa, CEO of the telecommunications giant Zain Sudan, retired military officer and intelligence guru. Urwa who graduated form military college in 1970 was Sudan's representative at the UN (1996-2005), presidential national security advisor (1989-2005) and state minister of defence (1989). Urwa is a key figure of Sudan's intelligence establishment and was a prominent officer in Nimayri state security bureau from 1976 to the demise of Nimayri's regime in 1985. Veteran security officers from the Nimayri era claim he leaked details of the evacuation of Beta Jews from Ethiopia to Israel through Sudan in 1984 to the National Islamic Front of Hassan al-Turabi. Whether this claim is true or not, Urwa was one of two officers in charge of the operation from the side of Sudanese state security. Urwa is believed to be one of three people including his two wives, whom President Bashir sees almost daily. In light of events in the count,ry there waa s good reason to keep Urwa close. For whatever reason, he was not on stage when President Bashir addressed the small crowd of al-Sheikh Mekki.

Now, whatever information or counsel Urwa gave to President Bashir during his brief trip to Gezira protesters kept the security apparatus busy in the heart of Khartoum for several hours. Government rhetoric shifted firmly from the initial apologetic and rather defensive stance of ‘we understand your pain' to an offensive and divisive racial account spelled out by its security chief Salah Gosh in his briefing to the press on 22 December. The head of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) claimed that a group of 280 people recruited by the Israeli Mossad from members of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement led by Abd al-Wahid Mohamed Nur and dispatched to Sudan from a neighbouring country were responsible for the burning down of headquarters of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in several towns. Salah Gosh went on to accuse petty gangsters (habitually referred to with the slur ‘niggers') of taking advantage of the security situation to burn and loot. The security services, he claimed, apprehended seven members of the Mossad-trained group and had knowledge of the names of the rest.

On 25 December and as President Bashir was bellowing out about traitors and saboteurs in al-Sheikh Mekki young men who hail from Darfur faced state television cameras to admit being part of Salah Gosh's alleged ‘Zionist-Fur-Nigger plot'. The young men paraded for the cameras with their faces battered and swollen included Ahmed Mekki Abdalla Ibrahim, head of the Darfur Students Association in Sennar University. Mekki and 31 of his colleagues, all from Darfur, were arrested from their residence in Sennar, 21 were transferred to Khartoum as many other Darfuri students were being rounded up in the capital to satisfy a racial profile of alleged traitors, saboteurs and fifth columnists.

Corresponding with this racial profiling is a distinction that the government is at pains to create between ‘good' and ‘bad' protesters. The good are identified as peaceful complainants who wish to express their dissatisfaction with the worsening economic situation in the country and the bad as violent agitators plotting to exploit this sense of dissatisfaction and overthrow the regime. In his faceless statement on 24 December, his first comments on the situation in the country since the eruption of protests in Atbara on 19 December, President Bashir warned citizens against responding to "attempts to instil frustration”. The substance of this warning speaks to the fear of Sudan's propertied classes from the riverine heartland of an encroaching underclass of impoverished vengeful racial others from Sudan's war zones.

Darfuri students have been at the receiving end of this punishing racial regime for years and are today framed once again as the plotting saboteurs behind the revolutionary surge gripping the country since 19 December. While the overwhelming majority of the Khartoum downtown protesters on 25 December were released within hours of their apprehension, beaten up but not brutalised, the Darfuri students are likely to face the full wrath of the NISS, torture, lengthy detentions and criminal prosecution if not extrajudicial killing. To illustrate this point, eight Darfuri students were kept in detention from 13 September 2017 to 19 February 2018 on accusation of undermining state security after they held an ad hoc political rally in a Khartoum North bus station. They were rearrested a week later on the grounds that the NISS had fresh evidence against them.

Often solidarity with these students is limited by the race/class geography of media-savvy middle class protesters. Their fate is itemised as one of the crimes of a brutal regime but rarely pursued further apart from the impressive legal aid provided by the Darfur Lawyers Association. Where the NISS sees saboteurs standard educated opinion in Khartoum sees masakeen (pl. of miskeen), a multifaceted and rich term that refers to the powerless, the meek, the impoverished and ultimately disconnected, people who are not part of the networks of power, wealth and influence. Islamic sharia defines a miskeen as a person with no property to her name and hence eligible to receive zakat. Indeed, the revolutionary element in Sudan's recent days of rage is that masakeen of sorts, even from Salah Gosh's folk in Karima, rose to challenge state authority, burning down its idols and claiming its guarded warehouses as their own.

The author is a fellow of the Rift Valley Institute. He publishes regular opinion articles and analyses at his blog Still Sudan. He can be reached at m.elgizouli@gmail.com

Journalist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani writes about the naming, shaming and parading of police suspects in Nigeria.

The United Nations peace mission in Libya has “strongly” condemned a terrorist attack on the country’s foreign ministry in the capital, Tripoli.

26th December, 2018.

South Sudan Opposition Alliance internal leadership change frication is disturbing and demoralizing public opinion. The big question CEPO is raising, will SSOA be a strong and not fragile entity for genuine implementation of the signed Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan? Community Empowerment for Progress Organization is closely watching the leadership friction among SSOA members; the fear is now, the friction is turning SSOA to be a fragile entity and losing public positive opinion for influencing implementation of R-ARCSS.

Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO said SSOA leadership friction is a clearly demonstration to our citizens that South Sudanese political elites have political problem for ownership of political leadership. Further, this tells us (citizens), that political leadership among the political elites is valued as control of political power for easier access to public resources than the notion of “being an opportunity for improving deliverance of social services to citizens”.

Therefore because of the wrong concept on political power, any political elite wants to be a leader at same time. The situation SSOA is facing now is displaying to us the possible risk for political democratic transformation in 2022 by the end of the peace agreement, where national general elections will be conduct.

For political settlement, it is essential to get committed to democratic and peaceful transfer of power. This means the initiation of power transfer should be democratic and the process for transferring power should be democratic. T

"The culture of political splits among the history of South Sudanese political elites is hazardous. SSOA internal leadership friction is telling us that recycling of political elites in South Sudan is no longer healthy and beneficial for growth of democratic transformation," Mr. Yakani stressed.

CEPO is calling upon SSOA members to sort out their internal political difference in democratic manner because we are afraid that their internal leadership frication can offer any risk for smooth implementation of the signed peace agreement.

END..

December 25, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, (aka Hametti) has accused government officials of causing a cash shortage that has emptied ATMs and urged the government to provide services to people.

RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, (aka Hametti) (SUNA photo)

While thousands took to the streets in Khartoum on Tuesday, Hametti's speech bore a different tone that was openly critical of the country authorities, saying officials manipulated what led to a sharp cash crisis.

"Until now, we do not understand what is going on in the banks. Why a person deposits his money (in the bank) and does not find it. There is manipulation and the corrupt officials must be held accountable," he said in a speech to his militiamen who arrived in Tayba area of Khartoum state from North Darfur state.

Also, Hametti told his troops, which arrived in Khartoum while significant protests taking place in the streets of the capital, that they will not be sent to quell the demonstrations.

He said that the date of arrival of the force was determined before the occurrence of any events, and they "did not come to terrorize anyone" before to add that they "will be on the lookout for rebels and agents".

The militia leader called on the government to provide services to people and create decent conditions of living for them. Also, he stressed the need to intensifying control of the market prices and fighting greed and unscrupulous merchants.

Hametti's statements come after rumours that the powers of the militia leader have been reduced by the government and that the army is preparing to eject him from his position.

On Monday, the Ministry of Defence announced the appointment of the former Sudanese Army spokesperson, Al-Sawarmi Khaled as new spokesperson of the Rapid Support Forces.

(ST)

By Mahmoud A Suleiman

The uprising of the people of Sudan this time has coincided with the events of the declaration of independence of Sudan from within the parliament and the annual Martyrs' Day Celebration.

The uprising of the people of Sudan was accompanied by two great festivals, Eid al-Shuhada (Martyrs' Day) and the day of the declaration of independence of Sudan from within the parliament. The latter represents a historic Sudanese national event when Abdul Rahman Dabaka, a parliamentary deputy from the Darfur Province, suggested a Proposal for the Declaration of the Independence of the Sudan from within the Parliament on Monday the 19th December 1955, when the unity of the will of the Sudanese people behind one word which was independence for everyone in accordance with a prior agreement and hence they were the will to announce and declare it. It is one of the days of the Eternal Sudan, which preserves its history and its splendor, but repeats its memory every year because of its insistence on reaching the chandelier that was planned. https://mod.gov.sd/index.php/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A9/18718-%D8%A5%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AE%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-19-%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%B1-1955%D9%85.html

On that immortal day in the history of the Sudan, at that historic session, Mr. Abdulrahman Mohamed Ibrahim Dabaka presented the proposal for the declaration of the independence of the Sudan from within the Parliament. It is noteworthy that the Deputy who presented the foregoing Proposal was a representative of the South Baggara Department Constituency in the Darfur Province and his origins descend from the Locality of “Idaelghanam” Translated literally into the sheep well, now it has been renamed by the National Islamic Front (NIF) Arabised Fundamentalists into “Iddalfursan” the Well of the Knights! On that Day, the Names of those who are among the first patriotic system have been shining were Abd al-Rahman Dabaka, Mirghani Husain Zaki al-Din and Mushawar Jumaa Sahl. Hammad Abu Sadr and others.

Thus, on Monday the Nineteenth of December 1955, the Independence of the Sudan From the clutches of Anglo-Egyptian colonialism better known as the Condominium was declared from within the Parliament and the Sudan Martyrs' Day, has also been Celebrated by the Sudan Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) which is observed each year, both the dates of the events have coincided with the uprising of the people of Sudan against the tyranny of the ruling regime of National Congress Party (NCP) led by the genocidal criminal and the fugitive International Justice Omer Hassan Ahmed al - Bashir and his criminal, corrupt and incompetent entourage. It is ironic that the uprising of the people of Sudan also coincided with the return of Omer al-Bashir and his team of entourage from his visit to Russia, Belarus, Syria on aboard the Russian plane, accompanied by his large begging Team of (NCP) regime close insiders partly on Tourism shuttles at the expense of the Sudanese people suffering from hunger, disease and lack of fuel and medicines.

It is also pertinent to recall that the uprising of the people of Sudan against the (NCP) autocratic regime coinciding with that National Occasions on the return of Sudan's criminal dictator Omer al-Bashir from his shuttle trips at the expense of poor people's money on a Russian plane after passing through Damascus in Syria to meet his ilk fellow Dictator Bashar al-Assad. After returning from his visit to Bashar al-Assad Omer al-Bashir met the consequences of his inhumane crimes and heinous reactions he has perpetrated through his lean years of arbitrary oppression against the Sudanese people, who today rose up in an Intifada all over the country to get out of the grip of repression, starvation, disease, poverty and genocide. Bashir and his criminal corrupt entourage have not expected this happening because the tyrants do not think they will ever leave their seat of power. They believe that their rule will be forever. Dictators like Bashir and others of his kind hey neither take lessons from the history nor from the events that took place around them and led to the demise of their counterparts in neighbouring countries; the so-called Arab Spring in late 2010 which remains as a living example.

The people of Sudan have overthrown military regimes twice before, in 1964 and 1985, and in September 2013 the NISS and the Janjaweed militias killed more than 200 protestors in the manner described as “Shoot to kill”. It seemed that Bashir's moment of reckoning had come with the current popular uprising of extreme discontent for the Poverty, lack of potential and lack of basic daily living commodities such as a loaf of bread while the associates of the (NCP) regime enjoy Life of luxury and spending of people's wealth lavishly.

How did the protests begin, according to the BBC report?
They started in the eastern town of Atbara, where demonstrators burned the offices of Mr Bashir's National Congress Party (NCP). Witnesses said that in some areas the military was not intervening and even appeared to be siding with the demonstrators.

But in a statement on Sunday 23rd of December 2018 indicated that the military has pledged loyalty to Mr. Bashir and said it would safeguard the "nation's security, safety along with its blood, honour and assets". On the other hand, a presidential adviser, Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, has been quoted as saying that the protests were being directed by "organised entities", without giving further details.

On Saturday 22 December 2018 AFP quoted witnesses in Wad Madani, south-east of Khartoum, as saying police used tear gas and beat protesters calling for Mr. Bashir to step down.

In El Rahad, south-west of Khartoum, the National Congress Party (NCP) office and other administrative offices were set ablaze and protesters chanting "no to hunger" were tear-gassed, another witness said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46666237

It seems that the spark of the uprising that swept all the cities of Sudan recently began in the city of Atbara. Atbara is the national seat of labour Movements and nicknamed the city of iron and fire as it is the Sudanese working-class City that is the headquarters of the Sudan railways - it remains a major site of labour activism and radical politics. But the spark of the diversion extended to Dongola in the far north and the city of al-Obeid in Kordofan and in Port Sudan and the city of Nyala and El Geneina and El Fasher in the Darfur region in western Sudan and of course in the Capital Khartoum with its three Towns at the junction of the two Nile Rivers of White Nile and Blue Nile to form the River Nile.

It is noteworthy to mention that the Sudanese people's uprising inside the Mother Land was attended by all Sudanese outside the country, whether they in the United States of America or in Europe, especially in London and in Manchester in the United Kingdom, in Europe in France especially in Paris, along with Sudanese people staging protests in front of the International Criminal Court (ICC)) at The Hague in the Netherlands and of course in Germany.

The cheers in all these demonstrations in different locations were echoed saying the people want to overthrow the regime." Cheers chanted in the streets, but quickly moved to the football stadiums during the match between Mars and Al Ahli, Khartoum after at least 20 people were killed and dozens arrested during protests against high prices.

Mass media outlets reported that the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have arrested Opposition leaders as protests continued all over the Sudan. Meanwhile, protests have continued on Saturday in a number of towns across Sudan. Eyewitnesses said students protesting in the town of al-Rahad, North Kordofan State, set fire to the ruling National Congress Party's (NCP) headquarters and other official buildings. Also, there were unconfirmed reports that the house of the notorious Génocidaire the Governor of North Kordofan Ahmed Mohammed Haroun who is one of four Sudanese men wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Darfur Region was set on fire on Saturday evening.

Darfur Conflict and Ahmed Mohammed Haroun
However, it was in his role as the holder of the Darfur security dossier at the Interior Ministry in 2003 that he attracted most notoriety. In between 2003 and 2004 Haroun is believed to have organized and mobilized the 'Janjaweed' militias that have been held responsible for numerous war crimes since the outbreak of conflict in the region. It was on account of his actions during this period that in April 2007 the ICC prosecutor Louis Moreno-Ocampo decided to issue an arrest warrant for Haroun, accusing him of overseeing the numerous acts of rape, murder, plunder and destruction committed by pro-government militias in the region. The warrant observed that Haroun had contributed personally to the perpetration of these abuses by exhorting the militias to commit these acts in public speeches.
http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Kordofan-governor-vows-to,42127
Protesters also gathered in several neighbourhoods of the capital, Khartoum and in the city of Madani, Gezira State. http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article66811

Demonstrations in Sudan and Protests continue with calls for a strike.

Anti-government protests in Sudan continue for the Seventh day, and analysts say it is the biggest popular challenge to the regime of Omer al-Bashir who took power through a military coup d'état on June the 30th 1989.

The Sudanese armed forces (SAF) issued a statement pledging their support for the president, at a time when doctors' strike is due to begin, followed by a strike on Tuesday 25th 2018, Christmas Day. It is noteworthy that the Coptic Community in Sudan hinted saying that they will rather postpone the Festive Celebrations on the Day declared for the strike.

On Sunday, the Sudanese regime's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) forces used teargas to disperse soccer fans that had gathered on one of the roads and blocked it, shouting slogans calling for freedom.

Furthermore, it was reported that the Police prevented the demonstrators who were coming out of the Football Stadium from crossing the bridge to the heart of Khartoum and the Presidential Palace. Moreover, the Security elements cordoned off the stadium and the roads leading to it, as soon as the protesters left for Al-Arba'een – The Forty's Street, chanting slogans against the government of Omer al-Bashir; the Police dispersed the angry protestors in the surrounding areas. Police in Sudan have fired tear gas at football fans demanding an end to President Omar al-Bashir's rule as protests spread across the country.

Hundreds of demonstrators blocked a road near a football stadium in the capital, Khartoum, on Sunday 23 December 2018 before clashing with riot police.

So far, the Opposition figures say 22 protesters have been killed since Wednesday, but officials say the figure is much lower. The protests erupted after bread and fuel price rises were announced. But they have escalated into calls for an end to Omer al- Bashir's 29-year rule. Over the past year, the cost of some goods has got more than doubled, while overall inflation has risen to nearly 70%, the value of the Sudanese pound has fallen sharply and shortages have been reported in cities including Khartoum. Earlier, footage on social media appeared to show continuing protests in a number of areas. The Central Sudanese Committee of Doctors said its members had seen protesters in hospitals with gunshot wounds and said there had been a number of deaths and injuries. “The people want the downfall of the regime” is one of the people's chants!
.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46666237

It is important to refer to the troika Countries statement over the Sudanese Protest which says the following:
“The Troika (the United States, Norway and the United Kingdom and Canada) are concerned about the violence occurring during recent protests in Sudan, including reliable reports of the use of live fire by the Government of Sudan and of multiple deaths during several protests. We reaffirm the right of the Sudanese people to peacefully protest to express their legitimate grievances.

We urge all to avoid the use of violence or destruction of property. We also urge the Government of Sudan to respond to statements appropriately, through uniformed police acting in accordance with Sudanese and international human rights law, including the right to freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and expression - and to avoid the use of live fire on protestors, arbitrary detention, and censorship of the media.

We expect the Government of Sudan to implement measures to investigate cases in which abuse of force has occurred, and welcome the assurances provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard.

The Troika countries (the United States, Norway, the United Kingdom and Canada) are concerned about the violence that occurred during recent protests in Sudan, including credible reports of the use of live ammunition by the Government of the Sudan and multiple deaths during several protests. We reaffirm the right of the Sudanese people to peaceful protest to express their legitimate grievances.

We urge everyone to avoid using violence or destroying property. We also urge the Government of the Sudan to respond appropriately to the demonstrations, through regular police and in accordance with Sudanese and international human rights law, including the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, association and expression - and to avoid the use of live ammunition on protesters, arbitrary detention and media censorship.

We expect the Government of the Sudan to implement measures to investigate cases of abuse of force, and we welcome the assurances provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard.”
http://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article66821

Howard Zinn the American historian, playwright, and social activist and a chairperson of the history and social sciences department at Spelman College as well as a political science professor at Boston University has been quoted as saying: “Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it.”
https://www.google.com/search?q=howard+zinn&oq=Howard+Zinn&aqs=chrome.0.0l6.1889j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Moreover, Martin Luther King Jr. has been quoted as has said: “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” “The duty of youth is to challenge corruption.” “To sin by silence, when they should protest, makes cowards of men.” “Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly.”
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/activism

The Tunisian Poet Abu al - Qasim Shabi has said in his Poem: “If people ever wanted life, then fate must respond and the constraint must be broken. And those who did not embrace the longing for life * Evaporated in the atmosphere and dispersed” !
https://analbahr.com/%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D8%A5%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B9/

Thus, the people of Sudan had the right to rise up against tyranny, starvation and the futile wars imposed on it by the Dictator, the Genocidal criminal who remains fugitive from the international justice, Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir and his criminal entourage sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague in the Netherlands for apprehension and to bring them for fair trial and punishment.

Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is an author, columnist and a blogger. His blog is http://thussudan.wordpress.com/

December 25, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Thousands of protesters on Tuesday took to the streets of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum in a mass march to the Presidential Palace demanding that President Omer al-Bashir step down.

The Sudanese Professional Association (SPA) on Monday called on the Sudanese to gather at Abu Jinzeer squire to march to the Presidential Palace to hand over a memo demanding President al-Bashir to step down.

However, police and security forces cordoned off the Abu Jinzeer square since early morning hours on Tuesday forcing protestors to flood the streets in downtown Khartoum.

Protestors chanted slogans such as “Peaceful ... Peaceful against the Thieves”, “Freedom, Peace, Justice ... Revolution is the Choice of the People” and “The People Want to Bring Down the Regime”.

Security forces used excessive force attacking the peaceful protestors with tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition.

Medical sources speaking to Sudan Tribune in Khartoum said 8 protesters were injured by fire bullets, pointing out that 4 of them are in critical condition.

Eyewitnesses said security elements wearing civilian clothes prevented the journalists from taking pictures, pointing that several journalists and TV correspondents have been beaten up and their mobile phones were confiscated.

Also, activists released videos on the social media showing protesters wounded by the bullets of the security forces and other videos of security agents in plain clothes shooting demonstrators.

Tuesday's march follows nearly a week of protests initially triggered by rising prices and shortages of bread and fuel but later escalated into calls for al-Bashir to step down.

The protests over the past week have been met with a heavy security crackdown, with more than 37 protestors killed and dozens injured according to Amnesty International.

Also, dozens of protesters and opposition leaders have been arrested since the beginning of the popular protests.

The Sudanese authorities have suspended school and universities classes in Khartoum and imposed emergency situation and curfew in a number of states.

(ST)

December 25, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Lam Akol, the leader of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) defended Peter Gadet's election at the chairmanship of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), adding that the other faction has been terrified by the support he has got.

Lam Akol, chairman of South Sudan's opposition National Democratic Movement (NDM) (AFP/Samir Bol Photo)

The election of Peter Gatdet at the head of the opposition coalition last November sparked a rift between two camps within the opposition alliance one led by the incumbent chairman Gabriel Changson and the other headed by Lam Akol.

South Sudan Patriotic Movement (SSPM) spokesperson Stephen Lual Garang Monday accused Akol of building a new SSOA faction with elements from outside the coalition, warning that these actions undermine peace implementation.

But NDM leader minimized the statements of the SSPM spokesperson and dismissed the accusations, pointing out that these accusations show they are in disarray after the election of Gadet.

"They refused to admit defeat in the elections and their members are breaking away from them in recognition of the elections result," Akol told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

"It is this desertion that is frightening them," he stressed.

In a statement released on 1 December, Peter Gadet said he won with five votes against three for Gabriel Changson, underscoring that the vote took place after agreeing on the procedures to be followed in the election.

Asked about the IGAD's position on the rift as they have to work with SSOA as one on the peace partners involved in the implementation of the peace agreement, he said that the regional bloc, at the moment, is adopting a wait-and-see posture.

"It says persons already nominated by SSOA to the various implementation committees and mechanisms should not be changed," he said.

"The question that cannot be avoided will be: to whom will heads of committees/mechanisms report?" Akol emphasized.

(ST)

December 25, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir accused unnamed groups of exploiting the living hardship to carry out sabotage and vandalism and described them as "agents, mercenaries and traitors".

Many cities across Sudan have been protesting against difficult economic conditions in the country since last week, calling to overthrow the regime of President al-Bashir. Also, demonstrators in some towns have burned the premises of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

Speaking in a public meeting in Wad al-Haddad area of Al-Jazira State on Tuesday, al-Bashir called to cease protests and not give an opportunity to those who commit sabotage.

He said the popular reception he received in the area was a decisive response to the rumour that he had been arrested and imprisoned and threatened to pursue those disseminating the rumours.

The Sudanese admitted that Sudan is facing "economic problems caused by the siege imposed by the West because of its refusal to kneel" as he said, stressing his rejection of foreign pressure.

He added that the war is waged against Sudan for its adherence to its religion and dignity, asserting that it "will not sell it for wheat or the dollar".

The Sudanese Central Committee of Doctors reported that nine people were injured in the protests that broke out Tuesday in the capital, Khartoum, including one critical case.

In a statement released on Tuesday evening, the doctors pointed to the use of live bullets against the demonstrators.

The union which was among the professional groups that called for the demonstration underscored the high level of popular mobilisation saying that they "passed the point of no return".

President al-Bashir pledged that development projects in the state would be continued and called on the people of Al-Jazira State, whom he described as producers, to not pay attention to traitors and agents.

(ST)

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy has made 2018 a year to remember, writes journalist Elizabeth Ohene.

The construction of sand dams which retain water above and below sand bars, is improving access to water supplies for people in Somalia as the country continues to weather periods of damaging drought.