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Sudan's second Civil Disobedience: 'Partial success', dismissal threats
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December 20 - 2016 KHARTOUM / DARFUR Sudan witnessed varying responses to the calls for a nationwide civil disobedience action against the recent austerity measures and the government policies on Monday. Authorities of various states reacted to the civil strike by forcing people not to join in and there are reports of threats of dismissal and locking of shops.
In Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur, absent government employees were threatened with dismissal, the Central Darfur camps coordinator told Radio Dabanga. Also shops or stalls that were closed would be marked with red paint and barred with locks. In Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, about two thirds of the shop owners did not open their doors on Monday, multiple sources reported. Also most of the shops in El Fasher remained shut during the day and public transport did not work in the morning. In West Kordofan, activists pointed to a heavy deployment of police forces, as well as a number of “government-affiliated photographers” at the town markets. In eastern Sudanese towns (Kassala, Port Sudan, and El Gedaref) life seemed to continue as usual while many students remained inside.
According to political scientist Dr Salaheldin El Doma, the December 19 Civil Disobedience was “partially successful” but “clearly received a larger response than the earlier three-day strike” from 27 to 29 November. The participation of political parties in the fundamental process of resistance is essential, he said. “It is impossible for youth groups to do this work without the support of older politicians, because of their previous experiences with resistance to dictatorships.”
The editor-in-chief of the independent El Jareeda daily newspaper said that the “poor response” to the call for strikes is attributable to that in November, people were still in shock over the skyrocketing prices of medicines. “And authorities have exerted many efforts to weaken the response to the calls.”
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Darfur: Kidnappers release UNHCR staff
December 20 - 2016 EL GENEINA Three UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) staff members who were kidnapped by gunmen on 27 November, have been set free in West Darfur.
The Governor of West Darfur addressed a news conference on Monday, announcing that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) staff members Sarun Pradhan, and Ramesh Karki from Nepal, and their Sudanese driver Musa Omer Musa Mohamed “have returned safely to El Geneina on 17 December. The three men were abducted by gunmen in a vehicle from central El Geneina on the night of Sunday 27 November.
”The state security authorities were able to recover the three kidnapped staffers working for the UNHCR after dialogue with the kidnappers,” Governor Fadlul Mola El Haja said. He did not release any details about the negotiation, whether any ransom was paid, nor any information about the fate of the kidnappers.
El Haja said that the employees have been admitted to a hospital which will assess their health situation.
In a statement today the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi said he is very pleased by the safe release, and especially thanks the Sudanese Government and its personnel who worked to ensure this outcome.
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Sudan Feature: Does today's Civil Disobedience represent a popular uprising?
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