New students’ platform in front line against Bashir

Sudanese university students have joined forces to form a new students’ association of unions and groups and have called for the immediate release of all detainees and the resignation of long-standing Sudanese autocrat president Omar al-Bashir.

Launched on Monday, 14 January, the Sudanese Students Association (SSA) will act as a collective platform for Sudanese students to unite their efforts in the battle to topple the regime and restore rights.

“In support of the popular movement that has taken place in the Sudan, we affirm the solidarity of the Sudanese students towards the legitimate demands of our people [for] the governing regime to step down immediately and we condemn all forms of violence,” the SSA said in a statement on Twitter.

We appeal to students in all Sudanese universities to stand together and join forces to fight against this dictatorial regime and build a bright future for us and for our children,” the SSA statement said.

The SSA aims to achieve a unified umbrella platform for Sudanese students inside and outside the country, the dissolution of the General Union of Sudanese Students, the dismantling of jihadist units at universities with the abolition of all manifestations of the militarisation of university life, and to document higher education issues which reflect students’ aspirations along with their problems and proposed solutions.

SSA announced that it will participate in a 17 January march to the presidential palace organised by the Sudanese Professionals’ Association.

The march on Thursday is a continuation of the four-week nationwide protests sparked on 19 December 2018 by a government decision to increase the price of bread.