CAIRO: Sudanese activists are following in their Egyptian neighbor's footsteps, organizing a Friday of anger against the 23-year regime of President Omar al-Bashir. It comes as police and security forces continue to use violence in an effort to stem the growing tide of demonstrations that have engulfed the country over the past two weeks. Initially begun as student protests against austerity measures by the government, the protests have spread across the capital, Khartoum and into other areas of the country, in what is being referred to as the Sudan Revolt on social media sites. Activists in the country remain stalwart in their action, and have said they will continue their demonstrations until the government has been removed. But on Sunday, President Bashir lashed out at the protesters, saying he was as popular as ever. He argued that he remains a “popular" president and that the Arab Spring calls for change will not come to Sudan. Already, in Tunisia, Libya, Yemen and Egypt, mass protest movements have ousted their authoritarian leaders, with Syria and Bahrain continuing their demonstrations calling for the ouster of their leaders. In Sudan, thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of the capital, Khartoum. The protests were initially instigated by students in the capital over austerity measures, but have in the past 10 days spread across the country and are gaining steam. “The people who burn the tires are small in number and they are pushing for a fight," Bashir told about 1,000 Sudanese students, suggesting that someone was behind protests in his country. Egypt's ousted regime of Hosni Mubarak also used similar language in the early days of the 18 days of protests that led to his removal and eventual jailing in January 2011. Anti-regime demonstrations have widened since Bashir on June 18 announced austerity measures including tax hikes and a phasing out of fuel subsidies to prop up the country's ailing finances. “They said these economic measures would be a chance for an Arab Spring in Sudan. But the Arab Spring in Sudan happened many times already," he said, referring to previous uprisings by “all" the country's people. In 1964, protests led to a mass mobilization that toppled the military dictatorship then in power. But Bashir said he himself remains popular. He said he took an “open car" around Khartoum on Friday, when smoke hung over the city from burning tyres, as residents of many neighborhoods clashed with police and denounced the regime and high food prices. “When the people saw me they shouted ‘Allahu akbar'," Bashir said. But protesters remain obstinate and are expected to continue their demonstrations this week, in more action against the government.
