Sudan opposition groups say they are ready for mass civil disobedience

January 14, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan's political and opposition groups have announced their readiness to launch mass civil disobedience, a crucial phase in the ongoing unrest at the national level, following Sunday's successful protests.

On Sunday, opposition groups held numerous protests in Khartoum North, three major cities in Darfur, El-Fasher Nyala and Geneina, and several Sudanese cities such as Wad Medani, Port Sudan and Atbara.

Significant participation in recent demonstrations and the increasing socialization of the idea of ​​regime change in the country now push the opposition to believe that the process of popular mobilization has reached its peak and it is time to move on to the stage of disobedience. civilian mass to cause complete paralysis of the administrative machinery.

In a joint statement released Sunday evening after the protests ended, opposition parties and professionals said that peaceful demonstrations constantly addressed the regime's repressive arsenal.

"This regime has lost the capacity for political and economic management, and has failed to transform peaceful processions, marches and demonstrations into a battle of violence, despite the use of live ammunition and arrests, because of the conviction of revolutionaries who the peaceful revolution is the secret of its success and its continuation, "said the statement.

Opposition groups have gone further by stating that the next step is "decisive" because "the path to a general strike has been smoothed".

"The realization of the complete paralysis of the regime's movement will be our line in the coming days", they underlined.

Opposition groups say they are deliberating on a political paper project to prepare the regime after al-Bashir. In addition, the vice president of Sudan Call and head of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) called on the opposition forces to focus on the situation of marginalized areas.

The Sudan-Minni Minnawi Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) and JEM have refused to resume peace talks with the Sudanese government in Doha as planned this month, fearing to disappoint their allies who are participating in the agitations of over three weeks.

The joint statement said that the evening protests will be held on Tuesday 15 January in the cities of Al-Thora and Kallakla in the state of Khartoum, adding that further demonstrations will be announced later.

In addition, he indicated that the protest on January 17 will head to the presidential palace in conjunction with similar processions in several cities in the country.

The peaceful protests began on December 19, 2018 due to the increase in bread principles and the scarcity of basic products. But now Sudan is asking President al-Bashir to say that his regime has caused economic collapse and has isolated Sudan internationally.

(ST)