Mittwoch, 17.01.2018 / 09:57 Uhr

Proteste im Sudan

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In Khartoum und anderen sudanesischen Städten kommt es zu Protesten gegen getiegene Brot- und Lebensmittelpreise:

Large protests rocked Sudan’s capital Khartoum on Tuesday in opposition to the government's recent austerity measures, which devalued its currency and removed wheat subsidies, causing the price of bread to spike.

“As women movements, we would like to express our full support to the peaceful protests."

Opposition groups vow that protests will continue until the government reinstitutes policies that subsidise (and lower) the price of basic goods, including bread. The protests began sporadically earlier in January after the government endorsed the 2018 budget that lifted subsidies on flour and electricity, and devaluated the local currency.

According to eyewitnesses, police forces have suppressed the protests through tear gas, batons and dozens of arrests.

Activists told Middle East Eye that Tuesday’s protest is the biggest and the most organised since the demonstrations began.

Sudanese opposition parties, under the leadership of the communist party, have led the protests and called for the removal of President Omar Bashir, who has led Sudan for 29 years. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges for crimes against humanity and war crimes. (...)

The “No violence against women” organisation also announced its support for the protests, saying in a press release on Tuesday that they formed an umbrella group with seven other women groups.

“As women movements, we would like to express our full support to the peaceful protests against the economic measures that hit our people,” the umbrella group said in a statement.

Government austerity measures also included ending its wheat imports, delegating that to private companies, which has driven up prices.

Sudan is adopting economic reforms based on International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommendations, which are aimed at restructuring the country's economy after losing much of its oil resources when South Sudan separated in 2011.