12) SUDAN COMMUNISTS ARRESTED IN REPRESSION

 

            The situation in Sudan continues to arouse international anger at the ongoing repression by the al-Bashir government.

 

            The popular uprising of the Sudanese working people, which began as opposition to sharp increases in fuel, food and essential goods and services, is now nationwide in scale. The regime has resorted to brute force to regain control through terror and repression. Trade union leaders, leaders of opposition forces and political opponents have been arrested. Trying to force the opposition to back down and to intimidate ordinary people from joining the struggle, the regime has embarked on the tried and tested tactics of spreading chaos and initiating a breakdown in social order. According to news from Sudan, the supporters of the government have burned and looted public buildings in order to spread fear and friction within the ranks of protesters.

 

            Mass protests have swept the country, as demonstrators call for the overthrow of the regime which has unleashed a reign of terror and repression for nearly a quarter of a century.

 

            For more information on the struggle in Sudan, visit the website of the Communist and Workers' parties, http://solidnet.org.

 

            The following is an appeal circulated by the Bureau of International Relations of the Sudanese Communist Party.

 

            The security forces have arrested yesterday night Tuesday the 1st of October Comrade Alkinain, the Organisational Secretary, member of the PB and the Secretariat of the CC of the Sudanese Communist Party. He was arrested while shouldering his responsibility towards the people and the party. Comrade Alkinain who is in his early seventies, is diabetic and has high blood pressure. He needs continuous medical care and supply of medicine. Despite attempts made by the party, his family and friends to make sure that he receives the right medical treatment, no response was made by the authorities. Those responsible have turned deaf ears to request by lawyers to meet the comrade.

 

            The arrest of comrade Alkinain comes at time when our people are strengthening their resistance and mass actions against the regime. The forces of the opposition are finalising their preparations to further increase the pressure on the regime and bring its downfall. It is in the process of discussing and agreeing upon the shape and governance of future democratic Sudan. No repression will deter our people from reaching their final goal.

 

            In addition to Comrade Alkinain, the detainees whose numbers are increasing by the day, who include outstanding leaders of different political parties and trade unionists are languishing either in detention centres of the security or government prisons. Among them are Comrades Sidig Yousif, Mirghani Atta Almanan, Abd Alfatah Rufaie as well as leaders and active members of our party.

 

(The above article is from the October 16-31, 2013, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)