Sudanese Media Under Al-Bashir’s Turmoil By Khalid Abdallah

12:11 PM January, 09 2019

Sudanese Online
Khalid Abdallah-Sudan
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It is a turning point in Sudan history, as the country enters the third week of mass demonstrations demanding that president Omar Al-Bashir’s regime steps down. The government tough procedures against media outlets and the press have been the main target of the government’s security apparatus; ranging from censorship to confiscations and prohibiting the journalists from writing.
A series of failure in policies for nearly thirty years have brought the country to the brink of collapse. The devaluation of Sudan’s currency, lack of bread, shortages of fuels and medicines are economically and politically related. However, the regime is taking many security steps against the media to control the crisis rather than dealing with the main problem, as a result a sharp censorship on newspapers was reinforced since 23th December, ahead of a mass demonstration on 25th December organized by Sudan Professionals Association. Security personnel would proof-read all newspapers before being published daily, taking out whatever items criticize the authorities. They also confiscated newspapers after being printed if they contained any critical remarks, on 1st January, 2019 – The Newspaper ( Al-Garida) was confiscated to repress independent coverage.
The social media platforms such as the Facebook and WhatsApp, have been shut down across the country since 20th December, after the starting day of the demonstrations. Activists were able to use VPN settings as an alternative outlet to keep publishing the news of the mass revolt.
On 27th December in the second week of the demonstration the Sudan Journalists Network announced a strike for three days based on security heavy hands on press. Following the attack on Al-Sudany newspaper whereby live ammunitions and sticks were used. Yasir Abdallah, the Editorial manager was injured. Many other journalists were arrested during the first week, some were taken to custody and released the same day.
In the same trend many regional and international correspondents were forbidden from covering the demonstrations, Yousra Elbagir the CNN correspondent was beaten and arrested by security individuals on 31st December demonstration as she twitted on her profile on Twitter. Another incident that transpired was Saad al-din Ibrahim, Alrabia TV correspondent was investigated by authority for covering the demonstration.
Locally, Sudanese Journalists Network emphasized that three journalists have been arrested recently, Kamal Krar, Fisal Mohammed Salih (released later on) and Gorashy Awad, related to the current events in Sudan. Other journalists have been prohibited from writing their daily columns among them Shameel Alnor and Mohammed Abdulmajed.
The member of the network Nasraldeen Altayeb stated that the freedom of press is facing gross violations by the government, he further explains cameras are not allowed on the streets and the government’s officials refuse to give any comments regarding the current situation on the ground.
The Sudanese government severe campaign against the press is intending to eradicate the current situation through security measures, 39 people have been killed according to Amnesty International but many activists on the ground estimate the number to be higher. This approach will not solve the issue rather it may lead to further escalation in a country that faces many unrests in Darfur, South Kordofan and The Blue Nile region.

The author can be reached through [email protected].

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