Hundreds of Sudanese protestors turned out in Khartoum for demonstrations on Friday after Sudan’s ruling military council admitted that security forces committed violations when they stormed at a sit-in camp outside military headquarters in Khartoum to disperse protesters last week, reported The Guardian.
The latest protests have emerged spontaneously as frustration among the people of Sudan grows after opposition leaders called off a general strike intended to force the generals to agree on a transition to civilian rule.
Ahmad Mahmoud, one of the protestors, said he had wanted the civil disobedience campaign to continue until the military leaders gave up power.
“People went on strike based on that understanding and then the [opposition leaders] abruptly changed their mind,” he said.
On Thursday, the military council admitted that it decided to disperse the pro-democracy protesters on June 3.
“We feel sorry for what happened,” said General Shams Eddin Kabashi, the military council spokesman. “We will show no leniency and we will hold accountable anyone, regardless of their rank, if proven to have committed violations.”
Kabashi went on to blame protesters for the breakdown in negotiations between the military and protest groups.
“What is delaying the negotiations is the false understanding of a civilian-led government … In my view, civilian is the authorities, the ruling, the task which we agreed on,” the army general said. “After we agreed that government ministers and the legislative council would be civilian-led, they are still screaming civilian, civilian.”
He added that the military believes the majority of the sovereign council, which will rule Sudan until the next election, should be military men and the leadership should be the military. He insisted that the military is the sole guarantor for peace and stability in the transitional phase.
The violent dispersal killed more than 100 and left hundreds injured. The findings of an investigation into the incident are expected to be released on Saturday.
