On Thursday, tens of thousands of Sudanese protesters demanded an end to the military’s role in the country’s joint civilian-military transitional government. They have called for an exclusively civilian government to lead Sudan moving forward.
The protests were organised after Sudan foiled an attempted coup by several military officials last week.
Reuters mentioned that an estimated 20,000 people participated in the demonstrations against the military. According to the Sudan News Agency, many from Atbara and Medani joined the protests in Khartoum.
Two trains full of people waving Sudanese flags arrived in Khartoum and were received by enthusiastic crowds from the capital. Protesters also shouted pro-democracy slogans and accused the military of intentionally delaying the transition of the government to civilian authorities.
While civilian officials greeted the demonstrators, security forces reacted harshly by firing tear gas at crowds to break up the protests. However, the measures had little effect in dispersing the masses, and people continued to shout slogans against the military.
Crowds even chanted, “the army is Sudan’s army, not Burhan’s army,” a reference to General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the leader of Sudan’s military and its ruling sovereign council. One of the protesters told Reuters: “We came today to block any coup and achieve civilian rule [and] we will not allow the military to control our revolution.”
Last week, Sudanese authorities said they had foiled an attempted coup by plotters loyal to former President Omar Al-Bashir. The military arrested 21 officers suspected of plotting the coup, and many soldiers were detained. The incident prompted an intense public backlash against the armed forces, despite army chief Burhan’s assurances that the military would not stage a coup against the transitional government.
Moreover, on Sunday, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok tried to calm the situation by extending his support to the joint transitional government. The dispute “is not between the military and civilians, but between those who believe in the civilian democratic transition, either military or civilian, and those who want to block the path from both sides,” Hamdok said.
The civilian-military transitional government was established in 2019 following the ouster of longtime dictator Bashir in a military coup after large-scale protests demanding his removal. Following Bashir’s removal, the military signed a power-sharing agreement with the civilian Forces of Freedom and Change coalition. The transitional government is tasked with dismantling the Bashir-era political and financial framework and easing the path towards democratic transition.
Sudanese Protesters Demand Civilian Rule, Reject Military Role
The protests were organised after Sudan foiled an attempted coup by several military officials last week.
October 1, 2021
Sudanese demonstrators arrive by train to participate in a demonstration, in Khartoum, Sudan, Sept. 30, 2021. SOURCE: MARWAN ALI/ASSOCIATED PRESS