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Protesters chanted slogans during an anti-government demonstration in Street 60 in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital. By – (AFP)
Many Sudanese protesters chanting "freedom, peace and justice" rallied Monday in Khartoum, witnesses said, as a campaign against President Omar al-Bashir's regime was about to enter his fourth month.
Demonstrations erupted in Sudan on December 19 against soaring prices of bread. They later turned out to be sometimes deadly rallies against Bashir's 30-year regime. The protesters demanded that he resign.
Anger has raged for years in this country in East Africa following financial difficulties, demonstrators accusing the Bashir administration of mismanagement of the economy.
The protesters took to the streets Monday in the northern suburbs of the capital, Bahari, in the neighborhood of 60 Street and the upscale neighborhood of Riyadh, said witnesses.
"The demonstrators are chanting freedom, peace and justice," said a witness, referring to a slogan that became the slogan of the movement against the Bashir regime.
Police fired tear gas at protesters in the 60 Street neighborhood, while students also demonstrated at a college in another upscale neighborhood of Khartoum, witnesses said.
"Who killed our martyrs?" asked the protesters during their rally in the area of the street 60, said a witness to the AFP.
According to officials, 31 people have died of violence at the demonstrations so far, but Human Rights Watch estimates that the death toll is at 51, including doctors and children.
The campaign against the government of the former leader was originally led by the Association of Sudanese Professionals, a group of teachers, doctors and engineers.
Since then, several political parties have joined the PSA to form a coordinating network called Alliance for Freedom and Change, which now leads the campaign.
Bashir, 75, remained provocative and imposed a state of national emergency on February 22 to suppress protests after an initial crackdown failed to contain the movement. .
Several measures accompanied the state of emergency, including the prohibition of unauthorized gatherings, the establishment of special courts to investigate violations and further powers given to the security forces. security to conduct raids without a warrant.
Decrease in numbers
Bashir also dissolved the previous federal government and set up a new cabinet to deal with the worsening economic crisis.
The protest campaign is considered the biggest challenge Bashir has faced since coming to power in 1989, during a coup d 'état backed by Islamists.
The scale and intensity of the demonstrations have however decreased in recent weeks, especially since the entry into force of the state of emergency.
"The number of protesters is not very important these days," said Sawsan Mohamed, 25, sentenced to two weeks in prison by a special emergency court for his participation in a rally in Khartoum .
Protesters parade at an anti-government demonstration in Street 60 in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital. By – (AFP) "I think that the violence unleashed by the security forces and the lack of leaders on the ground are holding back many demonstrators."
Several opposition leaders, activists, journalists and prominent protesters remain in detention following the crackdown on demonstrations.
In the first two months, protests spread to villages and towns across the country.
Last month's demonstrations largely turned into weekly gatherings, mainly in Khartoum and Omdurman, its twin city.
But experts say the protests have changed Sudan.
"This is already changing the game and the genie can not return to the bottle," a Western diplomat based in Khartoum told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"At the moment, I see a pattern of waiting … until there is some sort of breakthrough.The breakthrough can come at any time."
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