SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: al-Rakoba – The plight of the nation is not resolved with hungry stomachs
Buthaina Terwis argues that the recent protests against the democratic transition organised by the breakaway ‘National Accord’ faction of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC-NA) reflects Islamist attempts to retain power, labelling finance minister Jibril Ibrahim, an FFC-NA leader and the head of Islamist armed Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), “the Muslim Brotherhood’s minister”.
Noting that children were paid to participate in the FFC-NA’s protests at a time when the Sudanese school day has been reduced to four hours due to bread shortages, Terwis argues that it is the “proven habit of Islamists to exploit the needs of the poor and violating the rights of children [who have] been used as cheap ends in political machinations”.
Terwis also alleges that the military component of the government “generously pays money for demonstrations and political crowds to support its plans”.