Thousands of Sudanese protest to demand justice on the first anniversary of the signing of the transitional phase agreement

Around 3,000 people marched through the streets of Sudan's capital Khartoum, demanding justice and peace and showing their disappointment one year after the signing of the transition agreement between the Sudanese Army and the protesters following the defeat of President Omar al-Bashir. One of the main proclamations has been to demand punishment for those responsible for the deaths of more than 250 people, according to the Sudanese Medical Committee, during the revolts against Al-Bashir between December 2018 and April 2019.

The Sudanese Military Council and the protest leaders signed a "constitutional declaration" on 17 August 2019 ending a historic agreement for a gradual transfer of power to the civilian population. But the slow pace of the process and the lack of action have caused, above all, the young people who led the demonstrations a year ago to take to the streets again to show their frustration. According to local media, the demonstrators came out with flags and banners demanding "justice", "peace", "security system reform" or the "establishment of civilian power". 

"I am here to protest because we want to see the goals of our revolution fulfilled," Sawsan Mohammad, a 22-year-old employee, told the AFP news agency. Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok said in a statement on Monday that the problems continue. "Achieving justice and providing justice to the victims is one of the most important tasks we are facing and working towards," he said.

According to Sudanese television, the police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters. Clashes broke out at the end of the protest when an adviser to the prime minister went out to get a letter from the protesters demanding that Hamdok himself come forward. The Prime Minister insisted in his statement that "the state apparatus must be rebuilt and public service neutralized and modernized in the service of the citizenry.

It is one year since the signing of the policy document that would manage the three-year transition period, at the end of which general elections would be held with full power transferred to the civilian population, through the mediation of the African Union and Ethiopia. The text envisages elections in 2022 to take over from the Legislative Council, which has not yet been built, as well as the outcome of peace negotiations with the rebels in the west and south of the country.