In the past two weeks, Sudan has plunged into a dire political crisis as citizens rise and protest against difficult living conditions. The uprising has so far been met with severe repression; as of date, over 40 people have been reported killed including children as young as 12 years old.
These killings and grave abuses must never become mere statistics. We recognise that the victims are human beings who are part of families and communities, and who, within their legitimate rights, went out to protest for justice and dignity. Governments are effective when they guarantee basic rights and conditions for their citizens, but in recent times Sudan has failed to guarantee the basic needs of its citizens. Citizens are protesting against high food prices, coupled with the inability to access money deposited in banks as a result of an economic crisis that has plagued the country since April of this year.
The economic dis-functionality of Sudan’s government reached its peak in September 2018.This economic impairment was aggravated by the inflation of prices of basic food products. The citizens of Sudan are protesting against three decades of Omar Al-Bashir’s brutal dictatorship. Undoubtedly this is the result of a brewing dictatorship coupled with poor governance, with a regime that is prepared to deploy any measures – including intimidation, detainment, torture of activists and journalists, and eventually killing protesters to maintain its grip on power.
Africans Rising for Justice, Peace and dignity strongly believes in and stands for the freedom of speech and association of the people of Sudan. Our Sudanese brothers and sisters deserve to have their voices heard. We therefore call on the government of Sudan to put an immediate end to repression and restore Internet access to guarantee citizens’ freedom of expression and the right to protest. We stand with the peoples of Sudan and call on all active forces of freedom, liberty and justice, on the continent and beyond, to stand in solidarity with this struggling nation. We must not allow the forces of oppression to succeed at silencing their determined voices.
We will continue to monitor the situation in Sudan and pledge our support to all non-violent civil movements in Sudan. In the spirit of Ubuntu, the struggle of the Sudanese is a struggle of all Africans – and as the people of Sudan rise for Justice, Peace and Dignity, we rise with them.
Africans Rising for Justice, Peace and Dignity.
