Sudanese Bashir promises growth after weeks of protests | New

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir pledged Sunday to strengthen rural development as he seeks to deal with anti-government protests that have rocked the country's towns and villages.

He has organized a series of rallies across the country, promising access to electricity, education and health care, after weeks of protests seen as the biggest threat to his reign of 30 years.

On Sunday, he traveled north-Kordofan to address hundreds of people at three television rallies, including a night event in the capital Al-Obeid.

In the morning, he spoke to hundreds of villagers at the first rally of the day, promising to bring clean water to rural areas "across Sudan".

The speech was made after the inauguration of a new 340 km highway linking North Kordofan to Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum.

"Building such a road in the current economic conditions is not an easy thing to achieve," said Bashir after being escorted to the scene by dozens of men on camels, while crowds Villagers applauded and whistled on Sudanese tunes.

"Along this road, we will bring electricity to stimulate growth in the region."

"Building a new Sudan"

A few hours later, Bashir spoke at a second rally where he called on the young men and women of the country to contribute to the country's development.

"Young people, for whom we have built universities, must be ready to continue the mission of building a new Sudan," he said in a village where hundreds of people had gathered.

The statement was made after Prime Minister Moutaz Mousa Abdallah on Saturday called the protest movement a "respectable youth movement" and said his voice should be heard.

As night fell, Bashir, dressed in his traditional costume and his turban, met with hundreds of supporters, including students, in an open-air stadium in Al-Obeid, where authorities renovated a hospital.

"Patients often go to England, India or Jordan for surgery, but now we can do them in Al-Obeid," he said as crowds applauded and Loyalists launched fires. # 39; artifice.

Demonstrations erupted in Sudan in December after the government's decision to triple the price of bread, easing the frustration of many years of deteriorating living conditions and growing difficulties.

According to officials, 30 people died in violence related to the protests, while Human Rights Watch said at least 51 were killed.

Only by elections

Bashir's attempts to gather support have so far failed to put an end to the wave of discontent.

The group leading the protests has called for new protests over the next few days starting Sunday night.

The president's rallies took place a day after more than 3,000 people protested Saturday against his regime after the brutal death of an anti-government protester.

Professor Ahmed Alkhair was arrested Thursday during an anti-government demonstration and died two days later while he was in detention, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Independent Physicians.

The family of Alkhair said that the body of this 36 year old man bore traces of torture.

In response, thousands of people descended on Saturday in the streets of Khashm al-Qurba, a city in the east of the country, where the funeral of Alkhair had taken place. The protesters called for the resignation of Al-Bashir.

Bashir and other senior Sudanese officials have repeatedly said that the government could only be changed by elections.

The leader, who took power in 1989 under a coup, plans to run for a third presidential term at the polls scheduled for next year.