Thousands converge on Sudan square for 'martyrs' rally
KHARTOUM — Thousands of Sudanese demonstrators converged Thursday on a prominent square in Khartoum in a march through the capital to honour comrades killed in the months-long protest movement that has rocked the country.
The rallies came a day after protest leaders and army rulers inked a power-sharing deal to form a joint civilian-military body tasked with installing a civilian administration — the main demand of demonstrators.
Witnesses said men, women and school children waved Sudanese flags as they headed towards the Green Yard from different parts of the capital.
As they marched, the demonstrators shouted slogans that have been the rallying cries of the uprising that led to the toppling in April of Omar Al Bashir: “Civilian rule, civilian rule!” and “Freedom, peace, justice!”
The marches were held in response to calls from a key protest group.
“The rallies are a tribute to those honourable martyrs of the December revolution,” the Sudanese Professionals Association said in a statement.
Riot police fired tear gas to disperse a rally at a central bus station in downtown Khartoum, witnesses said.
“Protesters who were dispersed are trying to mobilise again and continue with the rally. It’s like a game of cat and mouse between them,” a witness told AFP from the capital’s Jackson bus station.
One onlooker said that many who arrived at the Green Square were in tears as they chanted slogans in honour of those killed in the protests.
“We are here to hold on to our demands since the military council is not responding to our demands. We will not give up,” said Shaima Ahmed, as crowds of protesters arrived behind her.
‘No more concessions’
The SPA spearheaded the initial campaign which erupted in December against the government of Bashir over its decision to triple the price of bread.
Those protests swiftly escalated into a nationwide movement that led to the army’s overthrow of Bashir.
But protesters kept up the pressure after his fall, rallying against the military council that took Bashir’s his place.
More than 200 people been killed since December in protest-related violence, according to doctors close to the movement.
Tensions between the generals and protesters surged after a June 3 raid against a weeks-long Khartoum sit-in that left dozens of demonstrators dead.
On Wednesday, the protesters and generals finally agreed a deal paving the way to a transitional civilian administration that would govern for just over three years.
The talks, however, are set to continue Friday as the two sides push to resolve remaining issues, including whether to grant immunity to generals for violence against protesters.
“The Alliance for Freedom and Change has made too many concessions already,” said protester Safaa Mudawi as she arrived in the square.
“We are asking them not to make any more concessions.”
Demonstrator Ammar Zubeir said Thursday’s rally was to build “pressure ahead of tomorrow’s meeting”.
“This is a reflection of people’s demands, so that the agreement that is reached reflects what the streets want,” he said.
A western troika of the United States, the United Kingdom and Norway, which have been involved in mediating previous Sudanese conflicts, welcomed the deal and called for the speedy formation of the civilian-led administration.
“We encourage the parties to quickly conclude the parallel constitutional agreement and form the civilian-led transitional government, which the Sudanese people have courageously and peacefully demanded since December 2018,” they said in a joint statement.
“The troika looks forward to engaging a civilian-led transitional government as it works to achieve the Sudanese people’s aspirations for responsive governance, peace, justice and development.”
