Sudanese police announced on Friday that two protesters were killed and 54 security personnel injured in demonstrations in the capital Khartoum that took place a day ago…reports Asian Lite News
Sixty suspects were arrested during the protests and legal measures were taken against them, the police said in a statement, which blamed the protesters of committing violence against the security forces, reports Xinhua news agency.
New demonstrations were staged on Thursday in the capital city to demand that the authority be handed over to a civilian government.
The protesters attempted to reach the presidential palace, but the security forces used tear gas to disperse them, witnesses said.
Earlier in the day, communications and internet services on mobile phones were disrupted in Khartoum ahead of the planned protests.
The security authorities closed major roads in central Khartoum and deployed military forces around the army’s general command headquarters and the presidential palace.
They also announced the closure of bridges linking the three major cities of Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri ahead of the demonstrations, but Al-Halfaya and Suba bridges were open to traffic.
On January 2, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok announced his resignation amid waves of protests in recent weeks in the country.
Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after the general commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on October 25, 2021 and dissolved the Sovereign Council and the government.
Protesters on Thursday set fire to the Old Parliament House in Australia’s capital city of Canberra, which badly damaged the front entrance of the building…reports Asian Lite News
Firefighters were called to the site at about 11.30 a.m. (local time), reports Xinhua news agency.
Video footage by local media showed protesters at the front of the building.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the Old Parliament House, which now houses the Museum of Australian Democracy, was forced to close last week when protesters started a fire at the door, which was later believed to be a ceremonial blaze.
The building was evacuated as a precaution and crews extinguished the blaze, said 7 News Australia.
Social media footage showed police dragging protesters away from the front steps of the building, as well as a large fire burning on the doors.
ACT Policing confirmed Thursay’s incident as continuation of a series of recent protests.
“Old Parliament House was evacuated earlier today after protesters started a fire at the front doors of the building – this was quickly extinguished by ACT Fire and Rescue,” 7 News Australia quoted a spokesperson said.
During the protest on Tuesday, the participants raised slogans such as “we are the voice of hungry people” and “we are awake, we hate discrimination…reports Asian Lite News.
In the wake of several new restrictions imposed by the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, several women staged a protest in Kabul calling for their right to education, employment and social freedom to be honored, the media reported.
In recent days, the Taliban’s Ministry of Virtue and Vice issued a new directive that orders for women who are travelling long distances by road should be accompanied by a male relative, and they should wear a hijab, to cover their head and face, reports TOLO News.
The directive also banned playing music in the vehicles.
It also ordered shops not to show the heads of female mannequins as it is against the Islamic Sharia law.
During the protest on Tuesday, the participants raised slogans such as “we are the voice of hungry people” and “we are awake, we hate discrimination”.
The protesters said that the Taliban are keeping women away from society by imposing such restrictions.
“How can we find a relative to go outside with in urgent moments? They said ‘we are not responsible for your food’, so pay our salaries and we can eat, we are not the women of two decades ago, we will not be silent,” TOLO News quoted Wida, a protester, as saying.
“We gathered to raise voices against restrictions imposed on women; our schools are closed, they took away working opportunities, now they ordered us not to go out of our homes alone, they are talking about the rights described by Islam. Does Islam order that a nation should be hungry, does Islam say to forbid girls from education?” Shayesta, another protester, said.
The protesters also urged the international community not to ignore Afghan women.
“We are half of the society, we are human, we have the right to education and to work, I ask the international community to not recognise this government,” Zahra, also a protestor, told TOLO News.
The protest however did not last long as Taliban forces fired in the air to disperse the demonstrators.
Sudanese security authorities have announced the arrest of 114 protesters over violations during demonstrations in the capital Khartoum…reports Asian Lite News
“A total of 114 suspects have been arrested and legal measures have been taken against them,” Khartoum State’s Security Affairs Coordination Committee said in a statement.
114 Sudanese protesters arrested over violations
“Some violations were detected, including an attack on the auto inspection building in eastern Nile, attempted attack on Bahri city’s police station, smashing of windows of four police vehicles, and the destruction of floors, billboards and traffic signals,” it added.
The committee stressed that the police dealt with the violations using “minimal force” with tear gas.
The statement stated that there were some injuries among the citizens, most of whom were due to suffocation and stampede, adding that 58 policemen were also injured during the protests.
Thousands of Sudanese citizens demonstrated in the capital Khartoum and other cities on Saturday to demand civilian rule.
The African nation has been suffering a political crisis after General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on October 25 and dissolved the sovereign council and government.
However, on November 21, Al-Burhan and the then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating the latter to the post, but the deal has so far failed to calm the street.
Sudanese protesters have managed to reach the presidential palace in Khartoum to demand civilian rule…reports Asian Lite News
“The protesters reached the vicinity of the Republican Palace amid chants through which they affirmed rejection to the political agreement signed between the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the Transitional Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok,” Xinhua news agency quoted the SUNA report as syaing.
Sudan protesters reach Presidential palace to demand civilian rule
Thousands of Sudanese citizens demonstrated in the capital Khartoum and other cities on Saturday.
The Sudanese authorities interrupted internal communications and the internet service before the start of Saturday’s demonstrations.
According to witnesses, hundreds of Sudanese army soldiers and the Rapid Support Forces have been deployed at the entrances to the bridges linking the three major cities of the capital, including Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri.
On Friday, the Sudanese Professionals Association, the body leading the protests, urged citizens to take part in protests set for Saturday to demand full civilian authority.
Khartoum State’s security committee, meanwhile, announced the closure of the bridges linking Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman cities as of Friday evening, excluding Suba and Halfaya bridges.
The committee said deviating from peacefulness, approaching and violating the sovereign and strategic sites in central Khartoum would be regarded as a violation of the laws, noting that “chaos and violations will be dealt with”.
The country has been suffering a political crisis after General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on October 25 and dissolved the sovereign council and government.
However, on November 21, Al-Burhan and the then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as Prime Minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the protesters.
Upset over the reported arrests and the seizure of the boats, the fishermen associations will hold protests across the state on Monday….reports Asian Lite News
The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 43 Indian fishermen and seized six fishing boats. The arrested fishermen have been lodged in the Kangesanthurai camp in Sri Lanka, according to a fisheries department official in Tamil Nadu.
Upset over the reported arrests and the seizure of the boats, the fishermen associations will hold protests across the state on Monday.
A Tamil Nadu fisheries department official while speaking to IANS said, “Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu are regularly attacked by the Sri Lankan Naval personnel and recently a fisherman from Ramanathapuram, Rajkiran (30) lost his life after the Sri Lankan Navy attacked the Indian fishing vessel.
Indian fishing boats attacked by Sri Lankan navy
“In this case around 500 fishermen from Rameswaram had sailed to the sea and they were attacked by the Sri Lankan naval personnel near Katchatheevu. 43 Indian fishermen were arrested and are now in the custody of the Sri Lankan Navy. 6 fishing boats have also been seized by the Sri Lankans.”
Political parties of Tamil Nadu have already contacted the Union Government and have requested to immediately speak to the Sri Lankan authorities for the release of fishermen from Tamil Nadu. The Union minister of state for fisheries, L. Murugan, who hails from Tamil Nadu has already commenced discussions with the higher officials of the Government of India.
He, however, said, there would be a review meeting of the SKM leaders at Singhu Border again on January 15 to assess if the government has lived up to its words…reports Asian Lite News.
Almost 15 months after the agitation began, triggered by the now-repealed three farm laws, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Thursday said they have suspended their protests after positive assurances from the government on their demands, but said a review would be taken on January 15.
“We are happy with the letter from the government. We plan to celebrate our win and return from the campsites at Delhi borders and other locations on December 11,” one of the leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), Yudhvir Singh said.
He, however, said, there would be a review meeting of the SKM leaders at Singhu Border again on January 15 to assess if the government has lived up to its words.
“Our current agitation stands suspended. Battle has been won and the war to ensure farmers’ rights, especially to secure MSP as a legal entitlement for all farmers, will continue,” the SKM statement on the 378th day of the agitation in Delhi said.
Indian Farmers celebrate after formally ending year-long mass protests after Prime Minister Narendra Modi abandoned his push for agricultural reforms in New Delhi at Gazipur border on India December 9, 2021 (photo:Pallav Paliwal)
The farmers wanted to celebrate on Friday itself, however, in view of the solemn occasion of the funeral of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, who perished in a helicopter crash with 12 others on Wednesday, the celebrations will take place on Saturday, when the farmers return to their homes. The SKM leaders’ meeting started with a two-minute silence to the deceased in the crash.
The letter from the government had been in the making for two days as the farmers demanded additional assurances not mentioned in the earlier two drafts. The current one promises formation of a Committee that will include farmers’ representatives to discuss how to arrive at the minimum support price (MSP) among other demands.
The SKM said, “We dedicate the fabulous and historic victory of the struggle to around 715 martyrs of the movement, including those in Lakhimpur Kheri,” and added, “Farmers’ unity, peace and patience has been the key to the victory, and this will not be allowed to erode in any circumstance. We shall collectively stay alert and ensure that promises are kept.”
Meanwhile, the mood at the Singhu Border camp site on Delhi outskirts was jubilant since morning. On the one hand, hectic activity was going on for winding up the camp site, home to scores of farmers for the last 15 months. And on the other, SKM meeting was going on with eager media persons mingling with the overjoyed farmers.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a consortium of 40-odd farmers’ organisations from across India, had spearheaded the agitation from day one. The countdown for ending the agitation had begun on November 19, when the Prime Minister announced to repeal the law, but confusion continued even after Parliament repealed the contentious three laws on November 29 about the exact fate of the agitation.
The President had given his assent to the three Farm Bills on September 27, 2020. The three Bills were Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.
The farmers had maintained that repeal of the farm laws was just the primary demand, but there were other demands too and the agitation would not end till those were met. One of the main demands among those unmet then was legal backing for minimum support price, for which the Prime Minister had announced formation of a committee with representatives from the Centre, states, agriculture bodies, farmers, and academicians.
Ahead of these becoming laws and soon after that farmers across the platforms had embarked on agitation, some of them peaceful, some resulting in damage to government property, including the riotous agitation at the Red Fort on January 26 earlier this year. The SKM has claimed loss of lives of more than 600 farmers at various places during the agitation. Hundreds of these farmers — most of them from western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha — had been camping at various entry points to Delhi.
Thousands of people, including women and children, continued protesting in Gwadar in Pakistan for the 17th day on Wednesday, demanding among other things, access to clean drinking water and an end to “trawler mafia”…reports Asian Lite News
Protesters from Gwadar, Turbat, Pishkan, Zamran, Buleda, Ormara and Pasni are taking part in the Gwadar Ko Huqooq Do Tehreek (Give Rights to Gwadar Movement) led by Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, a local leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami. They have vowed to continue their protest till their demands are met.
Thousands on streets in Gwadar as protests enter Day 17
Speaking on Dawn News programme earlier, Rehman said when the Gwadar port was inaugurated in 2002, and again when work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) began, the people of Gwadar were told that the projects would transform the province as well as the whole of Pakistan.
“But the residents in Gwadar do not have water, electricity, education, medical treatment or employment nor are they being respected … not a single penny of CPEC was spent on Balochistan. We got dead bodies instead,” he said, as per the report.
Rehman said the protesters were not asking the Balochistan government for employment opportunities but only protection for the means of livelihood they already had – fishing. “The federal and provincial governments and influential people are patronising the trawler mafia.”
“Allow us to earn a livelihood,” he demanded. “Give us respect.”
Talking about Balochistan Minister Buledi’s statement on action against fishing trawlers, Rehman said, “They (government) are giving us assurances again and again but they are a picture of helplessness and it was apparent that the trawler mafia is more powerful than provincial government. They are driving our marine life to extinction.”
He lamented the lack of clean drinking water, observing that in an era of technology, the residents of Balochistan who were living along the coastline could “see the water but can’t drink it”, the report said.
“There was a [desalination] project in an area at some distance from Gwadar. It was said it would provide 20,000 gallons of water daily. By God’s grace, not even 20 glasses of water have been desalinated,” he quipped, adding that Rs 1 billion had been spent on the project.
Rehman noted that people in Balochistan living close to the Pak-Iran border had families in the neighbouring country and imposing restrictions on their movement would be akin to breaking them apart. “We get cheaper items on the border with Iran. We used to get them for 500 per cent reduced price as compared to our own products before restrictions and security checkposts.
“If we are benefiting from a [fluid] border, then it’s the government’s responsibility to legislate for that. When our Constitution can be amended overnight to benefit one person, then why can’t [lawmakers] sit for the benefit of the entire public?” he questioned, the report added.
Three protesters were killed in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum as demonstrations continued against the military takeover of the country…reports Asian Lite News
According to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, protesters on Saturday gathered in the country’s major cities of Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman, reports Xinhua news agency.
As the bridges linking the three cities were closed, the protesters could not reach the capital city which houses the government headquarters, Republican Palace and the Army Command.
Sudan
“Three protesters were killed after they were shot during the demonstrations in Omdurman city,” the non-governmental committee said in a statement, adding that 110 demonstrators were injured from live ammunition and tear gas.
Sudanese Police said it was forced to use tear gas after some protesters became aggressive.
“There were protesters who deviated from peacefulness and attacked the police forces and some important sites which forced us to use tear gas,” said the police in a statement.
On October 25, the General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency across the country, dissolved the transitional Sovereign Council and the government, and relieved the state governors.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was detained along with other civilian leaders, but was released.
However, the army chief denied the “arrest” of Hamdok, saying the Prime Minister was staying at Al-Burhan’s house and was safe, until being released.
Demonstrators continued their protests in Khartoum, rejecting the measures announced by Al-Burhan and demanding a civilian government.
Pakistans National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf has warned the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protesters of being mindful of the fact that the country will not tolerate or allow presence of any armed militia…writes Hamza Ameer
Yusuf stated that the TLP protesters had crossed the line by using force against security officials, that resulted in the death of at least three security officials, while dozens others were injured.
“TLP had crossed the red line and exhausted the state’s patience,” he said.
“Do not test the proposition. As the basic principle of national security, the state will never shy away from protecting each and every citizen from any form of violence,” said Yusuf, giving a clear caution to TLP from trying to taking matters into their hands.
Pak NSA warns TLP protesters
The NSA went on to say that any outlaws, who target security personnel, damage public property and create widespread public disruption, “would be treated like terrorists without any leniency”.
While the NSA has come out with clear plans of not bowing down to the TLP demands, the Imran Khan-led government has initiated and resumed negotiations with the proscribed group’s clerics, aiming to come down to a settlement and an arrangement, which would stop thousands of protesters, who have been marching towards Islamabad, causing massive chaos, violence and disruptions, leading to confrontation with the security forces.
As per details of the new round of talks, influential leaders were brought to Rawalpindi and Islamabad, where brief round of negotiations were held.
What seemed to differ in the new round of talks was the change of tone by the government officials, as senior ministers were directed to refrain from issuing strong statements against the banned TLP.
Details also revealed that the detained Saad Rivzi, the amir of TLP was brought to Islamabad along with at least three senior members of the TLP Shura, Maulana Shafiq Amini, Engineer Hafezullah and Pir Inayatul Haq for direct negotiations with the government’s negotiation committee.
While the negotiations are underway, some TLP leaders are still angry over government ministers branding the outfit as Indian agents.
“Why did they brand us Indian agents? The whole nation wants to know who is getting money from the enemies. We have asked the government to change the negotiating team which does not insult us after the meeting,” said a TLP leader.
The issue has pushed the country into a non-time bound unrest as authorities have blocked road routes leading to Islamabad by digging bunkers, blocking roads with containers and deploying thousands of security personnel across the Punjab province, with an aim to stop the protesters from what they call the red line and move towards the federal capital.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken notice of the ongoing anti-government march and has given the mandate to the negotiating team to ensure that the matter does not aggravate into further chaos in the coming days.
