Sudan Protests VIII

University of Khartoum today

This post will be updated during the evening.

Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) has stated that they would be ready for a ceasefire when president Bashir falls. The SPLM-N leader Malik Agar says that his rebels are following the developments closely and that they're consulting with allied rebel groups, political parties and civil society organizations. SPLM-N has a "willingness to proclaim a strategic ceasefire on all the military fronts after the fall of the regime to create a conducive environment for peaceful transition of power," Agar said.

Bus drivers in Khartoum and South Darfur as well as the cattle market in Darfur have entered strikes to join the protests. In El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, Sudanese lawyers joined the protests near the courthouse. Witnesses said that some were arrested. The hacktivist group Anonymous reportedly shut down Sudan government's website. It's still offline. Likewise, Sudan Airways, has been hacked by AL-MaX-HaCkEr.

In Omdurman, women were chanting and "zaghareet" (you know, when they happily go yioyioyioyioyio!) in front of Azhari's residence. The police were reportedly dumfounded by this sight. I'd love to see it. Here's a wonderful picture from the 1964 revolution to give you a clue:

Blogger Nagla Sid Ahmed refrained from going to NISS after being summoned for the  3rd day and human rights activist Bushra Gamar entered a hunger strike on June 19th to protest against his arrest without charge. Karima Fath-Alrahman and Sara Moheyldeen has been released from detention (the latter after pressure from British embassy).

Umbadda, Omdurman

Are you in Khartoum? The hospitals are filled with injured protestors and are in desperate need of blood. Please go donate!

Security forces using live ammunition in Kharotum now. One person injured in the video below:

Read more here:

- UN Dispatch, Why Sudanese are Protesting in the Streets (good summary)
- Aljazeera, Has springtime finally arrived in Sudan? (debate)

- CNN, Sudanese protest government cutbacks 

- Alarabiya, Sudan police orders firm dispersal of protests

- Map of Sudan revolts

Sudan Protests IV

Wednesday morning and the fourth day of protests in Khartoum started with a sand storm and the NISS arrests of activists Najla Sid Ahmed and Mohd Hassan Alim (Boshi) at 7 AM. Their whereabouts unknown. Najla's house was raided and Boshi's mother was injured, Girifna reports. AFP correspondent Simon Martelli, however, was released after having spent a day in custody for covering the demonstrations.

Protests have been reported at University of Khartoum's medical campus at Al Qasr Avenue, Blue Nile University in Sinnar, Jumhoreya street (video below) and Burri.

Update: Apart from other universities in Khartoum, others outside of the capital have joined the protests; Shendi, Obeid and Gezira are among these. In all protests, NCP students (National Congress Party) have joined the security forces with metal rods, machetes, knives and swords, Girifna says. More and more civilians are reported to join the students in the protests.

During early evening, security forces arrested Dr. Kamil Idris, a former presidential candidate and a human rights activist.

Update: Protesters are gathering at an Umma party in Omdurman, where anti-government chants and the word "thawra" (revolution) can be heard. Najla Sid Ahmed is reported to have been released and have joined the party where she bravely continues to document events.

Last update for today: Reports of the resignation of government of state of Khartoum. Professor Mamoun Himida put forth the resignation letter saying that they can't continue due to the government's austerity measures. More about this tomorrow.

More on the story here:

- New York Times,  Sudan: Protests Erupt Over Austerity Measures

- Bloomberg (Salma El Wardany, @s_elwardany), Sudanese Police Fire Tear Gas On Fourth Day Of Protests

- Reuters, Police, protesters clash again in Sudanese capital

- IRIN Africa, SUDAN: Austerity package sparks protests

- Aljazeera: Police clash with protesters in Sudan capital 

- US Department of State, Crackdown on Demonstrators in Sudan
- Girifna Media, Sudan Revolts: a situation analysis

Sudan Protests I

 

I'm currently preparing myself for another round of intense blogging. Here's why:

Small demonstrations have been going on in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, for well over a year now, but now it seems to get serious as a couple of hundered students at the University of Khartoum started a demonstration on campus against high food prices. The university's website seems to be down at the moment, not sure if that has anything to do with this though.

Riot police met the protesters with tear gas and batons and the demonstration spread to city central.

Tweets and Facebook statuses claim that the situation is escalating and that a number of seriously hurt people have been brought to hospital. People are encuraging each other to hit the streets and spread information.

Are you in Khartoum at the moment? Me and the rest of the world wants to hear your stories!

More to come.

Revolution Baby

18 weeks 5 days

So I'm going to be a mum! It's the most natural thing in the world, and still it feels very alien and wierd, like something that happens to everyone else (without there being anything strange about that) and not to me. I've always wanted children but I've never felt the right moment for it. This may not be the right moment either, God knows that the circumstances should be different, but they're not and now we just have to make the best of the situation and deal with everything that is to come.

So far I haven't had an easy pregnancy. Been throwing up basically from the first week until now and many days the dizzyness is so overwhelming that I have to spend the whole day laying down. The tests have been good so far, except for once when my blood sugar was a bit high but apparently that was nothing to worry about.

I went to my first regular ultrasound today (had two other before, one in Egypt and another once I arrived in Sweden) and the midwife said that I'm expected to give birth on the 22nd of November. At the time of my first ultrasound in Egypt, all I could see on the screen was a small bean, so from then on the baby has been called Bönan (The Bean). The life inside of me begun some two weeks after the Egyptian former president Hosni Mubarak stepped down. I choose to see that as a sign of a good start of the life that I will be bound to for the rest of my life. Could it be better than to start out when a whole nation is celebrating it's freedom? I don't think so! November seems faaar away but thinking that it's only less than 5 months left is kinda scary! I pray that Khalid will have the opportunity to be here by then. It would suck if he would miss it, since he's already missing out the first ultrasounds, the baby's movements and all that. I'm trying to tell myself that it's not the end of the world if he would be here later, but of course I would prefer it to be sooner rather than later.

I've started to feel more distinct movements now that can last for a good while. Before it's only been a sensation of whirling and bubbles, but now it's definitely something else. It's an amazing feeling and can't be compared with anything else. I don't know if it's a boy or a girl and don't want to know until the baby is born either. Both me and Khalid prefer to live with the surprise, but I have to say that I suspect it to be a girl. It remains to be seen if my feelings are right!

In May, my sister gave birth to pretty Kimberly and in September my brother will become a dad, so that makes three cousins in one year!

Going on a job interview tomorrow for a temp position at a place that I would really love to work. I've kept my eyes on the place for months, hoping for an opening and now I have the chance. Since it's only temp and not a permanent position, I really hope they will look past my pregnancy and instead see to my qualities, experiences and personality. I know that I would make a good job and if all went well, I would certainly not mind continue to work there when the baby is a bit older and all. Keep your fingers crossed!

Egypt Protests - Hurghada: Safe or Not?

A beach that's usually cramped lies desolate.

Because of the ongoing Egyptian campaign to get the tourists to come back to the country, I've recieved several questions wether the country is safe or not. Since I made my way to Hurghada after Cairo I thought it might be a good idea to explain the overall situation in the city from my point of view. I'll do my very best to stay impartial so that any reader can judge for themselves if it's a good idea or not to travel to Hurghada.

When I first arrived, on February 8th, the city was pretty desolate. All, except for an insignificant numer of mostly British and Russians, had been evacuated and those that were still around mostly stayed at home or in their hotels. Businesses closed and all restaurants, cafés and clubs gaped empty of customers. People started to run out of cash as the banks were closed and the ATM:s were emptied.

There have been small protests in Hurghada during the revolution. The first one was reported to have taken place on January 29th. As in other places across the country, locals have been forced to create vigilante groups to protect their homes and businesses from looters as the police disappeared from the streets. 

The day Mubarak stepped down I witnessed the relief and hope that many locals in Hurghada had kept to themselves up until that moment. The people took to the streets in celebration and street parties gathered around the city with music, dancing, cheering and fireworks. A month after the protests in Cairo started there was an event in Mashrabia Village in the touristic part of Hurghada to remember and praise the martyrs. Poetry and live music were mixed with emotional speaches and a general atmosphere of happiness and respect. Both locals and internationals participated that evening and I'm sure it is one to be remembered for a long time.

Although the instability and security issues present in Cairo and other large cities around the country didn't reach touristic towns like Hurghada and Sharm al-Sheikh, the spirit of the New Egypt reached it after Mubarak stepped down. As the pro-democracy protesters in Tahrir Square arranged a clean-up day, the people in Hurghada followed. Streets were cleaned from rubbish and huge piles of gathering trash were sorted and put in recycling stations. The Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA) has taken huge responsibilities in keeping the Red Sea clean and the project manager Ahmed Droubi said to Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm that:

Important changes in people’s attitude towards the environment and the protection of their living areas. It seems that people have rediscovered a sense of ownership of the country, and they are more ready than ever to protect it.

This attitude has spread to different areas of the Egyptian lives. People are being more responsible and cosequent as many see that they themselves are crucial in building up the New Egypt. It's true that shop workers and businessmen continue with their at times aggressive methods to get the tourists to buy their products, but I genuinely feel that the overall attitude towards foreigners have changed in a dramatic way. They/we are still money personalized in many people's eyes, but I feel that I'm now being met with more respect and gratitude than anything else.

On March 6th an Egyptian reporter was assaulted and recieved death threats by the Hurghada State Security after he had witnessed and photographed officers burning documents. The reporter were broght to the hospital and was unconscious from the beatings. The public prosecutor has ordered an investigation about the incident.

At the time of my own arrival in Hurghada, the city was a ghost town and although most tourism is still largely absent, life is slowly but steadily returning to normal. If anyone wants to see what this once small fishing town was like before it developed into a tourist paradise, now is definitely the time to visit. The police are back in the streets and Hurghada is still the paradise that have been drawing tourists for years. It's without a doubt that the situation in Egypt is still unstable and that events can develop, but my guess is that Hurghada as well as other main tourist towns around the Red Sea will continue to be safe for foreigners. If I myself wouldn't already be living here but always wanted to visit Egypt, then I'd definitely chose this time. Not only because of the calm, beautiful weather and wonderful sea, but also to support the Egyptians that have been (and still are) working so hard to accomplish their freedom from oppression.

I will continue to report about the situation in Hurghada and upload pictures as I go.

Cairo Protests - A Tourist in Tahrir

To make it easier, I made a list of the videos and photos I shot during the first two weeks in Tahrir Square. The days that are uncovered were simply because of cowardice. Journalists, i.e. foreigners with cameras, were being targeted so I chose to be (somewhat) safe rather than sorry.

• January 25th
• January 28th
• January 29th
• January 30th
• January Photos
• The People
• February 1st
• February 5th
• February Photos

I wish I could have been there until Mubarak stepped down, but things went out of hand. Although the pro-democracy protesters in Tahrir was and would defend me if necessary I no longer felt I could continue reporting without putting myself in too much risk. Instead I got to witness the reactions among the locals in a a café in Hurghada. The relief and happiness was of course high and I'll be forever greatful to have witnessed history unfold. This is a once in a lifetime experience that I will talk about until I'm on my deathbed, that's for sure!