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| Africa Horn |
| Sudan Facebook group in call for demos as activists clash with Police in Yemen |
| 2011-01-30 |
| [The Nation (Nairobi)] Thousands of people have joined a Facebook group calling for anti-government protests across Sudan on Sunday, the day preliminary results are due out on the vote on southern independence. Entitled "January 30, a word to the Sudanese youth," the Facebook site shows an angry protestor holding an Arabic placard that reads: "A better Sudan." The call comes after Egypt's April 6 Facebook group set up by young Egyptian activists three years ago helped bring tens of thousands onto the streets this week for anti-regime rallies that have rocked the country. With more than 10,000 followers so far, the Sudanese site calls for peaceful demonstrations in Khartoum and other Sudanese cities at 11am to demand an end to "injustice and humiliation." "We will come out to protest the high cost of living, corruption, nepotism, unemployment and all the practices of the regime, including striking women... that are contrary to the most basic laws of Islam and humanity, and violate the rights of mA source at the Popular Congress Party of Islamist opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi refused to comment on the planned protest. Other opposition parties could not be reached to say whether they would participate. Just last week, Turabi was jugged shortly after saying that a Tunisia-style revolt, which ousted veteran strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali earlier this month, was likely in north Sudan. Nationwide protests in neighbouring Egypt forced embattled geriatric President Hosni Mubarak to sack his government as he promised economic and political reforms. Widespread economic and political discontent has provoked street protests in north Sudan in recent weeks, although they have been sporadic, with the army keeping tight control in the capital. The preliminary results for Sudan's January 9-15 referendum on independence for the south, to be announced on Sunday in the southern capital Juba, are expected to deliver a landslide for secesson, which would split Africa's largest country in two in July. In Yemen, dozens of activists calling for the ouster of Yemen's President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh clashed with the regime's supporters in Sanaa. Plainclothes police also attacked the demonstrators who marched to the Egyptian embassy in Sanaa chanting "Ali, leave leave" and "Tunisia left, Egypt after it and Yemen in the coming future." The chants were referring to the ouster of veteran Tunisian strongman Ben Ali early this month and to continuing demonstrations against President Mubarak in Egypt. No casualties have been reported in the Yemen festivities. Protests have been taking place on a nearly daily basis in Sanaa since mid-January calling for an end to Saleh's rule which began in 1978. Saleh was re-elected in September 2006 for a seven-year mandate. A draft amendment of the constitution, under discussion in parliament despite opposition protests, could allow him -- if passed -- to remain in office for life. |
| Posted by:Fred |