Washington Post: Sudan Unites Against al-Bashir

Nationwide protests erupted in Sudan and popular opposition to President Omar Hassan al-Bashir continues. Muhammed Osman and Max Bearak report for the Washington Post: “throngs of demonstrators – most in their teens and 20s – have been met with tear gas and bullets. Thousands have been swept up in mass arrests, and at least 40 have been killed.” Protestors have mobilized against a regime they view as corrupt. The economy, with its focus on substantial military spending, has resulted in economic underdevelopment as the prices of basic goods like flour skyrocket. Moreover, the protests feature a more united front between ethnic Arabs who reside along the Nile River and ethnic Africans from the Darfur region. In the face of brutal state repression, the new generation of Sudanese protestors have responded with a statement of ethnic solidarity: “Bashir’s perceived racism and divisive tactics have become a rallying cry against him.” –YaleGlobal