South Sudan SPLM Politicians Held Over Khartoum Rally. BBC
Several opposition members to Al-Bashir’s National Congress Party went on with their rally despite it being banned. Some senior Southern Sudanese politicians were arrested during the rally. Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and the National Congress Party do not agree with some of the changes made to the elections law. Elections are scheduled to take place next year which will be the first in twenty-four years. Electorates will be expected to vote for new members of parliamentary, a president and local representatives.
The rally started with twenty opposition members in front of Nations’ parliament building and the number grew as time went by after thousands of people joined. The protestors marched through the Khartoum and its neighboring city waving placards. The police later pounced on the protestors beating them with batons and firing tear gas into the crowd. The secretary General of SPLM, his deputy and several SPLM political figures were arrested. Reports say some civilians were also detained. SPLM officials accused Al-Bashir’s government of stifling their freedom of speech. The government also said SPLM official failed to ask for permission to hold the rally; this resulted in the arrests of SPLM leaders.