The Party for Socialism and Liberation salutes the heroic people of Sudan whose resistance led to the April 11 overthrow of the nearly 30-year-long reign of Omar al-Bashir — and which then toppled his military successor the very next day! Massive demonstrations are continuing to establish a civilian-led interim authority to uproot the old regime and secure the demands of the revolution: freedom, peace and justice.
The Sudanese revolution was sparked by austerity measures that led to huge inflation in the price of essential goods such as bread, compounding years of extreme inequality and the denial of basic democratic rights. Geopolitically, the al-Bashir government had also been moving increasingly into the camp of U.S. imperialism and its junior partners, including Saudi Arabia.
The Sudanese Communist Party is playing an important role in the uprising, alongside other forces that have a wide range of political orientations and social bases. Siddiq Youssef, a senior leader of the Communist Party, said on April 11, “We are ready to talk to the military leaders about the handover of government to a civilian parliament. Since they know that any other solution will be rejected by the opposition, I don’t believe the army will insist on governing. I don’t expect it but in case there is a military parliament established, we will not leave the streets. Our objectives are to establish social justice, progress and the construction of democracy. We reached this point thanks to the experience of our people who kicked the colonialists out.”
After the overthrow of al-Bashir, the Sudanese Communist Party issued the following communication:
Millions of Sudanese people have defied the military curfew and occupied the square in front of the army headquarters.
– The forces for Freedom and Change Alliance defy the “military transitional council” and demand the immediate handover of power to the representatives of the people.
– al-Bashir is gone, but the regime stays.
– What happened during the 11th of April was a classic palace coup.
– The people are chanting everywhere: “The Revolution Continues until Final Victory!”
– Comrades Alkhateeb (the Political Secretary of the Sudanese Communist Party) and Masoud (member of the Sudanese Communist Party’s Central Committee) are free. Both have visited the party headquarters where they received a standing ovation under the slogan: “Freedom, Peace, Justice; Revolution is the People’s Choice!”
– Despite the success of the revolution in removing al-Bashir, who enjoyed the outside support of the Troika (the European Union, the United States and Canada) and local reactionary governments such as Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, and the release of all political detainees, the military remains in power.
– This temporary setback will be dealt with through the increased unity and the determination of the masses to roll-back and defeat the present military transitional council
– Staging the military coup was a carbon copy of what had happened in Egypt to abort the January 2011 revolution. The Sudanese Communist Party and all the opposition forces are adamant in their resolve to continue the fight until the establishment of a civil government that represent the masses and implement the democratic alternative programme accepted by all the forces, including the Forces of National Consensus, the Sudan Call, the Professionals Alliance and the armed groups.
On April 15, the SCP issued an additional statement “for intensified mass action to thwart ongoing conspiracies hatched by US imperialism and reactionary regional governments”
– World imperialism, in collaboration with regional reactionary Arab governments and Sudanese army generals, staged a classical palace coup in a vain attempt to abort the victorious people’s march towards uprooting the dictatorial regime.
– The coup leaders who ousted Albashir declared a state of emergency for three months and ordered the masses of protesters to stay at home with the introduction of a curfew from sunset until morning. Millions of protesters have continued their daily mass actions, defying the curfew imposed by the new military junta.
– Defiant crowds of protesters have spent the last five days occupying the streets of the capital and other major cities and towns around the country, raising higher their voices and intensifying joint actions. The slogan “Freedom, Peace and Revolution is the People’s Choice” is echoed around all corners of the country. It has become the morning greeting of the Sudanese people.
– Due to the pressure exerted by the continued mass action, the new military junta was forced to declare the removal and detention of Albashir, as well as some of his close deputies, such as the first vice-president and the notorious head of the National Information and Security Service, Salah Goush. But the opposition forces continue to demand the immediate transfer of power to the representatives of the people grouped in the organization For Freedom and Change. In their last statement they stressed the importance of the continuation of the mass action, especially considering that the Military Council which staged the palace coup is part of the old regime.
– The Forces for Freedom and Change, including the Sudanese Communist Party, continue to play a leading role in furthering and consolidating the unity of the masses in the streets and have already scored a number of victories in forcing the removal of Albashir and his close deputies, the release of all political detainees and prisoners, and the lifting of the state of emergency and the curfew.
– The confrontation between the Military Council and the civil opposition is around the immediate transfer of authority to the Forces of Freedom and Change and the dissolution of the Military Council, respect of the rule of law and holding to account all those who committed crimes against the Sudanese people, the cessation of war in Darfur and the restoration of peace in western Sudan.
– After nearly five months of unabated peaceful demonstrations, and despite the victories scored, the opposition is still united in its struggle for radical change that includes the transfer of full authority to the representatives of the Forces of Freedom and Change, the dismantling of the dictatorial regime and its liquidation.
– As during the past five months, the Sudanese Communist Party has called for further intensified mass actions based on the cemented unity of the masses to thwart the ongoing conspiracies hatched by the USA and its lackeys to impose the project of ‘soft landing’ that aims at encouraging some week sections of the opposition to form part of the regime thus giving it a new lease of life.
– Occupying the streets and maintaining the peaceful nature of the revolution are the true strength of the Sudanese Revolution.
Furthermore, the Sudanese CP stresses the importance of increasing international solidarity with the struggle of our people as it reaches advanced levels and is approaching its goals.
Secretariat of the Central Committee, Sudanese CP
