الحزب الشيوعي: التصدي للإنقلاب وإعلان العصيان المدني والإضراب السياسي العام

The Statement of the Central Committee of the Tudeh Party of Iran on the military coup in Sudan - 25 October 2021

The Central Committee of the Tudeh Party of Iran is alarmed by the reports, first received from our comrades in the fraternal Sudanese Communist Party, of a military coup d'état having taken place in Sudan during the early morning of Monday October 25, 2021. We firmly and un#####ocally condemn this despicable and unlawful act on the part of the Sudanese military forces and remnants of the despotic regime of Omar al-Bashir, and call for a swift and unconditional return to the scheduled transition of power to the legitimate civilian political representatives of the people of Sudan.
Military forces have stormed the Sudanese Radio and Television headquarters in Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum, and arrested those employees present according to the country's Information Ministry - which has appeared to hold out against the putschists thus far - amidst an apparent internet shutdown affecting Khartoum. The military, along with units of the notorious Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, have deployed across Khartoum and the capital's major thoroughfares have been closed off, with reinforcements arriving from across the country.
Along with the Sudanese Communist Party and progressive forces in Sudan, the Tudeh Party of Iran condemns the abduction to a place unknown of the country's Prime Minister, Abdallah Hamdok, reportedly after he refused to issue a statement in support of the coup, as well as the apparent arrests of several civilian cabinet ministers and politicians, amidst what is feared will be a severe onslaught by the military We are also following, with concern, the reports of violent clashes now emerging from the capital where the military and RSF appear to be moving against those courageous people who have heeded the calls of the Sudanese Communist Party and Sudanese Professionals Association to immediately take to the streets and defy the coup in a campaign of civil disobedience.
The Tudeh Party also notes the curious timing of this latest development, which has come on the back of recent significant shows of public support for the civilian representatives of Sudan's Sovereign Council and full implementation of the scheduled democratic transition from military rule - as well as the handover of the criminal former-tyrant al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court for trial on charges of crimes against humanity during his rule - including the huge demonstration to mark the anniversary of the Glorious Sudanese Popular Revolution on October 21, 1964. This also follows the visit, just days ago, of US special envoy Jeffrey Feltman. At this meeting, assurances were given by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the current military head of the power-sharing transitional ruling council, to Prime Minister Hamdok that the military would adhere to the scheduled transfer of power in Sudan. Despite such assurances, made in the presence of the US envoy no less, the military have moved to usurp power.
It is very clear that only reactionary forces in the region, the racist Israeli government, and US Imperialism stand to benefit from the halting of the democratic transition process in Sudan and a return to military rule. In the immediate aftermath of Burhan's dissolving of government and declaration of a state of emergency in Sudan, the Tudeh Party of Iran calls upon all progressive forces and the international community to rally behind the Sudanese people and their legitimate civilian political representatives; that there can be no accommodation whatsoever of the putschist administration; and that the military must immediately return to their barracks. We wholeheartedly support the calls made by the Sudanese Communist Party and Sudanese Professionals Association for people to take to the streets and defy this disgraceful power-grab by the military in a campaign of civil disobedience, and we call upon all fraternal parties and progressive forces around the world to move quickly to do the same.


The Central Committee of the Tudeh Party of Iran

25 October 2021