army pullS the plug on BaShIr
Sudan’s army ousted veteran president Omar Al Bashir on Thursday, but protesters against his rule swiftly rejected a “coup” by the military and vowed to keep up their demonstrations. In a sombre televised address, Defence Minister Awad Ibnouf announced “the toppling of the regime” and said Bashir had been detained in “a secure place”, bringing an end to his three-decade rule.
A transitional military council will replace the president for two years, he said, adding that the country’s borders and airspace would be shut until further notice.
But in a warning to protesters, he also imposed a night-time curfew from 10pm to 4am.
Organisers of the protests, which first erupted in December, rejected the army’s move and vowed to keep up their campaign until the whole regime was swept aside.
“The people do not want a transitional military council,” said Alaa Salah, who became an icon of the protest movement. —
khartoum — President Omar Al Bashir, who ruled Sudan in autocratic style for 30 years, was overthrown and arrested in a coup by the armed forces on Thursday, but protesters took to the streets demanding the military hand over power to civilians.
The ouster of Bashir, 75, followed months of demonstrations against his rule.
In an address on state television, Defence Minister Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf, announced a twoyear period of military rule to be followed by presidential elections.
He said Bashir was being detained in a “safe place” and a military council would now run the country. He did not say who would head it.
Ibn Auf announced a state of emergency, a nationwide ceasefire and the suspension of the constitution. Seated on a gold-upholstered armchair, he said Sudan’s airspace would be closed for 24 hours and border crossings shut until further notice.
The main organiser of protests against Bashir, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), rejected the minister’s plans. It called on protesters to maintain a sit-in outside the defence ministry that began on Saturday.
Shortly afterwards, thousands of demonstrators packed the streets of central Khartoum, their mood turning from jubilation at Bashir’s expected departure to anger at the announcement of a military-led transition, a witness said.
“Fall, again!” many chanted, adapting an earlier anti-Bashir slogan of “Fall, that’s all!”.
Sudanese sources said that Bashir was at the presidential residence under “heavy guard”. A son of Sadiq Al Mahdi, the head of the main opposition Umma Party, told Al Hadath TV that Bashir was being held with “a number of leaders of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood group”.
Names of Bashir’s possible successors that have been circulating include the defence minister, an ex-military intelligence chief, and former army chief of staff Emad Al Din Adawi. Adawi is said to be favoured by regional neighbours at odds with Bashir over his rightwing leanings.
Omar Saleh Sennar, a senior SPA member, said the group expected to negotiate with the military over a transfer of power. “We will only accept a transitional civilian government,” Sennar said.
Kamal Omar, 38, another demonstrator, said: “We will continue our sit-in until we prevail”.
Ibn Auf announced the release of all political prisoners, and images circulated of freed detainees joining the protests.
Troops were deployed in strategic areas of the capital and also stormed the headquarters of Bashir’s Islamic Movement, the main component of the ruling National Congress Party.
In the eastern cities of Port Sudan and Kassala, protesters attacked the offices of Sudan’s intelligence and security service, witnesses said.
Bashir, a former paratrooper who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1989, has been a divisive figure who has managed his way through one internal crisis after another while withstanding attempts by the West to weaken him.
We will only accept a transitional civilian government composed of the forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change
Omar Saleh Sennar, Sudanese Professionals’ Association
The military take-over is not the appropriate response to the challenges facing Sudan and the aspirations of its people Moussa Faki, Chairman of the AU Commission
Sudan needs a swift move to an inclusive, representative, civilian leadership and an end to violence
Jeremy Hunt, British foreign secretary