Sudan's Bashir declares state of emergency, dissolves government

Sudan President Omar al-Bashir, facing the country’s biggest popular protests since he came to power 30 years ago, declared a one-year state of emergency on Friday and called on parliament to postpone constitutional amendments that would allow him to seek another term in a 2020 presidential election.

In a televised speech, Bashir said he would dissolve the central government as well as state governments, according to a report by Reuters.

“Firm economic measures should be taken in a new government”, Bashir said, adding that he would assign that task to a qualified team.

He also addressed the opposition. “I extend a sincere invitation to the opposition forces, who are still outside the path of national reconciliation … to move forward and engage in the dialogue regarding the current issues of our country”.

In a subsequent decree, Bashir set up a caretaker administration comprising a senior official from each ministry, but kept the defense, foreign and justice ministers in place.

The anti-government demonstrations began on December 19, triggered by price increases and cash shortages, but quickly developed into protests against Bashir’s rule.

Read: Sudan releases 2,400 protesters amid US condemnation of crackdown

After Bashir’s speech, angry protesters in the city of Omdurman chanted “Freedom!” and set fire to tyres while others blocked a main road, a Reuters witness said. Police there fired tear gas and chased protesters through small streets.

The National Consensus Forces, one of Sudan’s main opposition groups, said the response to Bashir’s declaration of a state of emergency should be more protests.

“(T)he regime declared a state of emergency to counter our popular revolution, which will not stop, God willing, before we achieve our goals and topple the regime”, the group said in a statement.

Two weeks before the protests broke out, a majority of lawmakers had backed proposed amendments to the constitution that would allow Bashir to run for another term. But last Saturday, the parliamentary committee tasked with amending the constitution said it would indefinitely postpone a meeting to draft these changes.

Bashir, a former army officer, came to power in 1989 after a military coup. He won elections in 2010 and 2015 after changes in the constitution following a peace agreement with southern rebels, who then seceded to form South Sudan.

Bashir had previously blamed the protests on foreign “agents”, and challenged his rivals to seek power through the ballot box. He had shown no sign that he was prepared to concede any power.

But earlier this month he softened his tone dramatically, saying the protesters are mostly young people with poor prospects.