End the Draconian “State of Emergency” and “Emergency Laws” in Sudan
Release All Political Detainees
Respect the right to peaceful protest actions
End the internet shutdown
These are the demands of tens of thousands of demonstrators protesting in cities across Sudan against the military dictatorship which organized a coup d’état October 25 against the interim civilian military coalition government which was to hold elections for a civilian government next year.
The military coup has led to months of violent attacks on peaceful protests with hundreds injured and killed, and with hundreds more arbitrarily arrested and detained without charge or legal representation. More than 350 people were arrested in the 4 days after December 29, not including 56 killed and 90 injured in the brutal attack on protestors January 2. Dozens of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) troops of the Sudanese army stormed the offices of three different TV channels based in Khartoum and beat journalists who had covered the police and military repression.
The protesters are ‘guilty’ of demanding an end to the state of emergency imposed by the military, of demanding democratic rights and civilian government, and a path forward to be determined by the Sudanese people.
The silence of the Canadian government and the media is shocking and unacceptable in what is clearly a military dictatorship opposed to democratic, civilian rule, and which is guilty of horrendous crimes including illegal mass arrests, torture, and killings of the civilian population. It’s stated purpose is to prevent a transition to civilian government and to democracy in Sudan. Is the fact that the military coup is supported by some in the EU, the real reason for Canada’s deafening silence? Is it in fact, profits before people? Profits – not sovereignty or democracy?
We stand with the people and the democratic resistance forces in Sudan, and we call on the government, and on Parliamentarians to speak up now against the state of emergency, and the emergency “laws” imposed by the Sudanese military; for the release of all political detainees, and for the right to peaceful protest, and for an end to
the internet shutdown.
We call on the labour and democratic movements to also speak up against the dictatorship, and to support the calls for an end to the state of emergency and the emergency laws imposed by the military, to release political detainees, and to respect the right to peaceful protest, and to access the internet.
The world is watching.
Central Executive Committee, Communist Party of Canada