Hope in Sudan (#SudanRevolts)

Recently mass protests (#SudanRevolts) have arisen in Sudan against the dictatorial regime of Omar al-Bashir, sparked off by the introduction of austerity measures. I think this is a wonderful development.

Omar al-Bashir, since seizing power in a military coup in 1989, has lead Sudan in waging a catastrophic civil war by the Muslim majority north against the predominantly animist and Christian South until 2005, aided the infamous so-called Lord's Resistance Army led by the most evil Joseph Kony, and then lead Sudan into another horrific war in the Darfur region which gained infamy all over the world and made Omar al-Bashir wanted by the International Criminal Court, and recently he nearly succeeded in plunging Sudan into another war with the South.

Frankly I had long ago given up hearing good news from Sudan. I heard about how some northern Sudanese abducted slaves from the Southerners. I knew Sudan's government as mainly a regime that was constantly at war, spreading death, slavery and misery in an already blighted region of the Earth.

Recently I heard about alleged attempts by Omar al-Bashir to make life impossible for non-Muslims in Sudan, even contemplating changing the name of his political party to the Party of God like Hezbollah. These developments made me think no good news would come from Sudan. I knew little about attempts to resist among the Sudanese people.

And so I am quite pleased to see that brave Sudanese people, such as Gifirna, have chosen to rise up against this irresponsible and blood strained government. As far as I know this revolution was first started from among the women's dorms of the University of Khartoum.

Although I am not Sudanese, I don't even personally know any Sudanese person, either from the north or the south, I wish the protesters well in their attempt to reorganize society. I hope this will be the first stage in better and brighter days for Sudan.

This weekend about 1000 Sudanese protesters were arrested and sent to 'ghost houses'. Like other authoritarian countries facing mass protests a wave of arrests have been unleashed by the dictatorial Sudanese government. May victory swiftly follow these brave protesters.