04 Jan 2019 | 03:29 AM UTC
Sudan: Further anti-government protests planned January 4-9 /update 13
Anti-government protests are being planned throughout Sudan, including in Khartoum, January 4-9; heightened security measures and clashes anticipated
Event
Opposition political parties and other groups are calling for anti-government demonstrations to take place throughout Sudan in the coming days. A protest is expected to take place in the capital Khartoum on Friday, January 4, with associated rallies in other cities. On Sunday, January 6, protesters are expected to gather at different parts of capital starting at 13:00 (local time) before converging at the Presidential Palace. Another demonstration is planned for Wednesday, January 9, outside the National Assembly building in Omdurman. Opposition organizations are also calling for nightly protests to be held in Khartoum and other urban areas in the near-term. Heightened security measures and localized transportation disruptions are to be expected around any demonstration sites, and further clashes between protesters and security forces are likely.
Context
The Sudanese government blocked social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as of December 31 in an effort to calm ongoing anti-government protests in the country. Anti-government protests broke out on December 19 as hundreds of protesters gathered in major urban centers - notably in Atbara (Nile River state), Al-Qadarif (Al-Qadarif state), Port Sudan (Red Sea state), and Khartoum - initially to demand increased government transparency and the implementation of anti-inflation measures; their demands have since broadened to demand that President Omar al-Bashir, in power since 1989, step down. Curfews have been implemented in at least eight cities in response to the unrest, including in Kosti and Rabak (White Nile state), Al-Qadarif (Al-Qadarif state), Atbara, Al-Damir, and Berber (River Nile state), as well as in Dongola and Karima (Northern state).
Advice
Individuals in Sudan are advised to monitor the situation, anticipate telecommunication disruptions, obey all instructions issued by their home government as well as those of the local authorities (including curfew orders), and avoid all protests due to the risk of violence and arrest.
