Sudanese workers deepen revolt with a general strike against the regime

Workers in Sudan have shown their power to bring society to a halt in the battle against the ruthless military regime.

A general strike has brought many towns and cities to a standstill.

Most of the ministries and government agencies in the capital, Khartoum, were completely closed on Sunday, the first day of the working week.

Sudan—a revolt on the brink

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All the banks, many shops and petrol stations, and the main market were closed as well.

Traffic was completely disrupted.

Most air traffic at Khartoum International Airport stopped. All banks, telecommunication companies, the southern port, and the market were closed in Port Sudan, capital of Red Sea state.

More than 90 percent of workers joined the strike.

In the capitals of the five Darfur states in the west of the country, El Fasher, El Geneina, Zalingei, Nyala, and Ed Daein, the strike involved bank workers, teachers, public sector workers, engineers and doctors.

El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan state, was almost silent.

Blocked

People gathered tyres, tree trunks and rocks to build roadblocks In Khartoum’s district of Bahari. “We blocked the streets to send a message to those trying to steal our revolution that they will fail,” said protester Emad Ibrahim.

The strike is set to continue until the military have fallen.

The Rapid Support Forces state militia murdered at least 110 people when they cleared a Khartoum sit-in last week.

And the military responded to the strike on Sunday with arrests, deportations of activists and by killing at least six people.

Regional powers aligned to the West—in particular Egypt and Saudi Arabia—are trying to keep the generals in power.

But if the strike continues the military can be toppled.

The strike committees that are beginning to emerge need to become an alternative power to the regime.

Struggle, not talks with the military butchers, is the way forward.