Sudan Protest Organizers Call for General Strike

  • 5/1/2019
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The organizers of Sudans protests have threatened a general strike and civil disobedience as tensions escalate with the military council that assumed power after the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir. The Sudanese Professionals Association and its allies, which organized the four months of demonstrations that drove Bashir from power on April 11, on Tuesday accused the generals of clinging to power. The two sides have been negotiating the formation of a new transitional government but are divided over the role of the military, which is dominated by Bashir appointees. The organizers have called for mass rallies on Thursday, while the military has warned against any further "chaos." The generals have demanded the protesters clear roadblocks around their sit-in outside the militarys headquarters in the capital, Khartoum. "The military council is not serious about handing over power to civilians," said Mohamed Naji al-Assam, a leader of the SPA. "The military council insists that the (joint) council should be military led with civilian representation," Assam said, adding the army had been seeking to "expand its powers daily". "The international community should support the choices of the Sudanese people." Speaking at the same news conference, Madani Abbas Madani, another protest leader, accused the military council of using "escalatory language which does not encourage partnership". Their statements came after a top Sudanese general announced the new body would be headed by current military ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The protesters have called the military council headed by Burhan "a copy cat of the toppled regime".

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