sudan protestors are a new class of youth activist

The aftermath of the #SudanProtests have been a masterclass in activism and the power it has to keep the powers that be in check. Sudanese youth have been protesting the authoritarian regime of Omar Al Bashir since December. Alaa Salaah is a 22-year-old engineering student and activist and last week a picture of her went viral as she addressed a crowd of protestors on top of a car at a demonstration to remove the war-monger. The worldwide attention gave the movement the push it needed.

A military government was put in place, much like the case of many movements to remove oppressive regimes. The difference with the Sudanese youth is that they are responding with swift wisdom to every move made by the new military leaders in hopes of eventually installing the civilian government many fought and died for.

After 30 years in power, Omar Al Bashir was replaced by a military-led transition council headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, according to The Guardian. The initial statement made by the interim government was that Al Bashir had been removed and that the military would rule in the interim for up to two years. Protestors were unhappy with the idea of military rule, forcing the General to downgrade the military intervention into a transition council. The pressure the protestors are putting on the transition council is unprecedented as General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was forced to fire the country’s prosecutor after protestors demanded his removal, reports The Guardian.

When frustrated Zimbabweans ended the reign of Robert Mugabe, the military took over in the same fashion but the military leaders were a part of Zanu-PF, the party of Mugabe. His predecessor, Emmerson Mnangagwa switched off the internet and social media sites when civil unrest resulted in the army harassing and murdering civilians. The ungodly treatment endured by the Zimbabweans served as a lesson to another growing movement, emboldening the Sudanese protestors to see the trap of military rule and vanquish any possibility of it, as soon as possible. The Sudanese military has met the persistence with compliance by advocating for an “inclusive dialogue” while also promising to ensure the election of a civilian leader. The ousted Al Bashir has since been imprisoned.

Some of the most prominent protestors were 30 and below so this is a monumental moment for African youth and the realization of the power they have to enact change on the continent. Aluta Continua!