Sudanese protesters defy military, demand immediate transfer of power to civilians

By Samuel Abuya

Organisers of the Sudanese civilian protests have suspended talks with the Transitional Military Council saying it is composed of remnants of the ousted al-Bashir regime.

Civilians continued to camp outside the army’s headquarters in the country’s capital Khartoum with the aim of exerting more pressure to the military to hand over power to civilians. The organisers say they have plans and structures in place to keep demonstrators in the streets round the clock, for 24 hours.

“We have decided to opt for escalation with the military council, not to recognise its legitimacy and to continue the sit-in and escalate the protests on the streets,” declared Mohamedal-Amin Abdel-Aziz from the Sudanese Professionals’ Association (SPA).

On the other hand, the opposition under the leadership of the umbrella Forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change, which also includes SPA, called for transfer of power to civilians immediately.

From their end, the Transitional Military Council, commonly referred to as TMC, has said that it is considering the creation of a joint civilian-military council that will steer the country until it gets the leadership that the people want.

The TMC sounded a warning against the protestors blocking roads and limiting the movements of other people. At the same time, the TMC said in is not allowed that some people, among the protestors, were policing the demonstrators.

But in response, the young people said they were searching those taking part in the protests as a matter of security concern – to protect the crowds. In their search, the young people found and confiscated sharp objects and returned them with those leaving the protests.

Africa Global News Publication