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1 1 (March 1, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govyih0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional *.Research Service Sudan: Pressure Mounts on the Government March 1, 2019 Sudan's President Omar al Bashir, who took power in a 1989 coup, arguably faces the greatest challenge to his rule in three decades, as public pressure for a political transition mounts. Bashir's government has been the target of near-daily protests across the country since December 19. A common refrain among the protesters is Tasgut bas (Just fall, that's all). Spurred by frustrations with deteriorating economic conditions, corruption, poor governance, and repression, the protests have been further fueled by the government's response, in which more than 2,600 people reportedly have been detained and over 50 killed. The crackdown threatens efforts to improve U.S.-Sudan relations and raises broader questions for U.S. policy. Bashir's recent declaration of martial law may increase prospects for instability, with implications for U.S. interests in the region. These demonstrations are unprecedented for Sudan in their longevity and geographic scope. In addition to street protests, organized by a network of Sudanese professionals, doctors and medical professionals have staged strikes, staff of banks and telecommunications companies have led walk-outs, and engineers have stopped construction projects. Women are prominent among the protesters, as are university students. Opposition groups, in coordination with the Sudanese Professionals Association, have released a Declaration of Freedom and Change, calling for the immediate end of the regime and the formation of a transitional government. A group of university professors have issued a similar proposal. There appears little trust among regime critics that the government would conduct credible elections (scheduled for 2020), particularly given the Islamist ruling party's move to facilitate another term for Bashir. While some observers draw comparisons with the Arab Spring, Sudanese cite their own history of protest movements, which resulted in changes of government in 1964 and 1985. Those uprisings were also led by professional union and political party coalitions, rather than by armed insurgents. The Government of Sudan's Response to the Protests Security forces have fired tear gas into hospitals, universities, and neighborhoods; used live ammunition against demonstrators; and reportedly targeted doctors treating wounded protesters. Reporting from inside Sudan is restricted, but the BBC has documented footage of so-called hit squads, paramilitary units reportedly coordinated by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) to suppress the protests. The BBC reporting suggests that activists are tortured in secret detention facilities; several people have died in detention. Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11058 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

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