"Men, women and young people from al-Jarif went out today in a peaceful protest," Othman, a resident of al-Jarif, told Reuters on June 12, 2105. "We are demanding our land and our rights that the government has taken away from us." (Photo: EPA)
Sudan police teargas protesters in Khartoum - witnesses
KHARTOUM, June 12 (Reuters) - Police in Sudan fired tear gas and wielded batons on Friday to break up a protest in Khartoum against government land policies, three witnesses said.
About 500 demonstrators closed two main streets in the eastern al-Jarif district. The protesters, who say they have a right to land that the government has allocated to investors, threw stones at police and burned tyres.
Government critics say there is a crackdown on dissent. Most of the opposition boycotted an April election which President Omar Hassan al-Bashir won, thereby extending his quarter-century rule.
"Men, women and young people from al-Jarif went out today in a peaceful protest," Othman, a resident of al-Jarif, told Reuters. "We are demanding our land and our rights that the government has taken away from us. The government responded with violence: protesters were hit and tear gas was fired," he said.
Mohamed Saleh said he had seen the two main roads of al-Jarif blocked and fire from burning tyres. "There were men and women in the protest and the police were surrounding the demonstrators," Saleh told Reuters.
District government officials and police were not immediately available for comment.
In February police broke up a rally in Khartoum prompted by the death of a woman who had earlier demonstrated against government land policies, witnesses said.
President Bashir took a more conciliatory tone after his re-election, appealing for national unity as he grapples with rebellions and dwindling oil revenues. (Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)
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Reuters | 12 June 2015
One person dies in Sudan protest: police
One person died after police fired teargas to try and break up a protest in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Friday, the force said.
Witnesses said about 500 people blocked two main streets in the city's eastern al-Jarif district, saying they have a right to land that the government has allocated to investors.
Baton-weilding officers fired teargas at the crowd, some of whom threw stones and set fire to tyres, according to people at the scene.
The police said members of the crowd had started the violence and tried to attack a police station. The force press office said protesters had also set fire to another police post.
"As the protesters insisted on continuing their riotous acts, police were forced to use teargas according to the law," the statement said.
"During that time, one citizen was hurt, was taken by ambulance to hospital and subsequently died," it added.
One witness said the protest had started off peacefully.
"We are demanding our land and our rights that the government has taken away from us. The government responded with violence: protesters were hit and tear gas was fired," Othman, a resident of al-Jarif, told Reuters.
Opposition politicians and other activists have accused the government of cracking down on dissent. Most of the opposition boycotted an April election which President Omar Hassan al-Bashir won, thereby extending his quarter-century rule.
In February police broke up a rally in Khartoum prompted by the death of a woman who had earlier demonstrated against government land policies, witnesses said.
(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
