Sudanese opposition urges people to take to the streets
Harsh austerity measures, violent clashes with South Sudan and corruption cases have all added to Sudanese citizens’ simmering anger. And it is this resentment which opposition groups hope will eventually reach a boiling point, tipping people out onto the streets once again.
National Consensus Forces (NCF), a coalition of opposition groups, said that more protests are likely. Now people are about to explode,” leader Farouk Abu Eissa said. We will work with them for further escalation towards a real, strong and democratic uprising against the authoritarian rule.”
But his perspective is not widely shared by observers monitoring the situation in Khartoum. Many point out that the Sudanese opposition is beset by divisions, preventing a coherent movement against al-Bashir’s rule of more than two decades. Street protests during June and July, which sparked comparisons to the Arab-Spring uprisings, were quashed by the military after a few weeks.
Communist Party leader, Suad Ibrahim with journalist Sarah Daifallah.
Abu Eissa conceded that popular uprisings are triggered by accumulated grievances rather than being instigated by any individual opposition party.
Commentators say that they do not expect Sudanese people to take to the streets soon, saying that the movement has lost its momentum. They see little chance of a reenactment of what was dubbed Sudan Revolts” on social media.
The leader of the opposition Popular Congress Party, Kamal Omar, however, described the ruling party as presumptuous, saying it was deliberately downplaying the likelihood of further protests. All arrogant and tyrannical rulers in the Arab Spring countries described their people and the opposition as weak and unable to take to the street,” he said. But their peoples marched against them in the millions and toppled them.”
He said long-standing leader Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir was in a weak position, battered by the downward economic spiral and conflict with South Sudan.
In his opinion, Sudanese people’s grievances are mounting and street protests are imminent. We will continue to urge people to revolt,” Omar added.
Meanwhile, Communist Party Leader Suad Ibrahim Ahmed, rejected some people’s calls for the opposition movement to violently challenge the one-party rule.
Whoever carries arms will try to impose their opinion; we call for a popular uprising. We support mass protests for health, education and living standards, and the role of parties is to raise awareness,” he said.
