Sudan protesters holding night marches

Sudan protest groups plan night marches in an attempt to pressure the military for a return to civilian rule. Sudan’s security forces earlier this month crushed a weeks-long sit-in by protesters, reportedly killing dozens.

Sudan protest groups say they will hold night marches in an attempt to re-ignite momentum to pressure the military for a return to civilian rule.

The protest organizer, the SPA, says this step came with others to fill the gap made by Sudan’s Transitional Military Council when it blocked the Internet for two weeks.

SPA representative Jafar Hassan says night protests will rebuild the protesters’ confidence.

He explains: “We chose night protest for two reasons, firstly because at night people will be free from daily obligations, night protest is good under these conditions. Secondly, to rebuild confidence among protesters. Now street is ready.”

Protesters like Hadi Emad, who survived the deadly breakup of a protest sit-in two weeks ago, are not ready to give up.

It is very obvious the Transitional Military Council is willing to defeat the revolution, starting from breaking up the sit-in and also by escalating force, so as protesters, they will fight peacefully with all means,” he said.

Another protester, Mohamed Yasser, who volunteered as a doctor during Sudan’s uprising, thinks protesters feel this is a new revolution.

“Night protests are now better than daytime ones. It may give a chance to decrease the casualties by spreading security forces, and protesters also need to organize to make and build confidence,” he said.

Sudan’s demonstrations began in December over bread prices and fuel shortages. Protesters demanded political change and called for then-president Omar al-Bashir to step down.

The Transitional Military Council took power when al-Bashir was toppled after 30 years in power.

Negotiations between protesters and the Council to form a joint military-civilian government came to a halt when the military violently broke up a week’s long sit-in and killed dozens of protesters Monday.