A group of Sudanese citizens residing in Kenya said they fully support the ongoing anti-government protests in Sudan.
In a declaration extended to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, 53 individuals living in the East African country, called for, among others, democracy, peace, social progress, development, the rights of expression, association, peaceful assembly as well as organizing rallies and demonstrations.
“We declare our full support to the Sudanese revolution and to the “Freedom and Change Declaration” of the Sudanese Professionals Association, 1st January 2019,” reads the statement in part.
Deadly protests have rocked Sudan’s capital, Khartoum and other cities since December 19, when unrest first broke out over a government decision to raise the price of bread.
“We call for immediate suspension of violence applied by the regime’s oppressive apparatuses that led to the killing of dozens and injuring of hundreds of fellow citizens,” said the group.
They claimed hundreds of Sudanese citizens have, since the demonstrations erupted, been subjected to arbitrary arrests and torture.
The group also proposed a number of demands, among which included, immediate unconditional departure of Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir and his government, formation of a national transitional government from Sudanese experts agreed upon by all Sudanese political actors, immediate stoppage of the ongoing war in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile and rebuilding justice and rights systems, ensuring independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.
Bashir, who came to power in a military coup backed by Islamists in 1989, vowed to take real reforms to guarantee a decent life for Sudanese citizens after the protests.
Amnesty International has said it has "credible reports" that 37 people were killed in the protests, but the government has acknowledged only 19.