SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: African Arguments - Sudan sit-in: How protesters picked a spot and made it theirs

29/4/19: African Arguments – Sudan sit-in: How protesters picked a spot and made it theirs, by Amira Osman

 Amira Osman, a professor of Architecture at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa, argues that the Sudanese Army’s headquarters in the Ministry of Defence’s complex is the Sudanese revolution’s central gathering point, "where the power of the masses couldn’t be ignored."

 Osman highlights the venue's significance, as well has how it has offered protection and security, noting that the army has army permitted a massive gathering on its doorstep, despite it restricting access to its headquarters.

Osman also notes that the army has defended protesters against attacks by the National Intelligence and Security forces.

 In addition, Osman notes the symbolism of the venue, as "the protesters knew that army collaboration would be crucial to achieve a transitional government."

Osman cites the the nearby murals and street art as examples of freedom of expression, with the space now a "microcosm of the future Sudan that the protesters envision."