On Saturday, a tribal council in eastern Sudan announced the closure of ports in the Red Sea and the national road between Port Sudan (east) and the capital, Khartoum, for the second day in a row.
This came in statements by Ahmed Moussa, a leader and legal advisor to the “Supreme Council of Beja Opticals” in the east of the country.
The spokesman told The Eastern Herald that “the protesters closed today, Saturday, the road to ports in the Red Sea state, including Osif, the southern port of Port Sudan, and Suakin.”
He added: “Since Friday, political and societal organizations have participated in the implementation of the closure of the states of eastern Sudan, so that the government responds to the demands.”
And he added: “The demands include dissolving the government, canceling the path of eastern Sudan in the peace agreement signed in Juba, opening a negotiating platform with the government on eastern Sudan issues, granting the region its resources and a percentage of participation in the central authority.”
He added, “We will take other escalatory steps in the coming days, including stopping flights to Port Sudan airport and preventing mining companies from operating until the demands are met.”
On July 5, the council closed the national road between Khartoum and Port Sudan for 3 days, before the government sent a ministerial delegation on the 17th of the same month to negotiate with them about their demands, but without responding to them, according to statements by the council’s leaders.
The council is protesting against the eastern track included in the peace agreement signed in Juba between Khartoum and armed rebel movements, complaining about the marginalization of the eastern regions, and calling for the abolition of the track, and the establishment of a national conference for eastern issues, which will result in the approval of development projects in it.
Since August 21, 2019, Sudan has been going through a 53-month transitional period that ends with holding elections in early 2024, during which power is shared by the army, the “Forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change” and armed movements that signed a peace agreement with Khartoum on 3 October.
