Revolution O’clock ✌🏾

12:30pm, Al Souq Al Arabi

The street is very calm, with the exception of the few NISS (National Intelligence & Security Service) cars going around asking people questions and arresting them randomly.

12:45pm, Al Souq Al Arabi

The street is exceptionally quiet, yet the silence is so loud. Revolution is in all of our hearts and no fear of NISS shall stop us. I’m afraid 1pm will come and no one will do anything, because the streets are incredibly empty right now. However, I have faith in my people. We have come this far, despite the NISS, despite the police, despite the arrests, despite the fear, despite the injuries, despite the deaths…

12:55pm, Al Souq Al Arabi

Five minutes left. Still no sign of people in this street. I think the NISS lost hope in these protests taking place, because no one is here. They’re driving around still, but slowly.

1:00pm, Al Souq Al Arabi

The clock strikes one. Revolution o’clock. Out of nowhere, a woman I can’t see blows the starting whistle and all of a sudden the street is PACKED. I can’t even see what’s across the street anymore. Everyone just popped up out of nowhere! I KNEW I WAS RIGHT TO HAVE FAITH IN MY PEOPLE!

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Throughout history, Sudanese have been stereotyped as individuals who completely lack time management skills. It’s always been a fact, even globally, that when a Sudanese tells you they’ll meet you at 12pm, expect them an hour later.

However, how is it that on a day like this, in several places across many states of Sudan, when the clock ticks one , everyone is on the streets chanting at the exact same time, regardless of the fatally dangerous obstacles, regardless of age, regardless of location, regardless of religion, and regardless of race?! Maybe everything that was wrong with us in the past 30 years was a result of Elbashir’s regime.

We’re blaming him for everything, that’s the movement.

Since late December, the SPA (Sudanese Professionals Association) and the citizens of Sudan have led us into a revolution that has changed everyone’s perception of Sudan , Sudanese citizens and revolutions in general. Social media announcements about protest locations , paths and safety instructions would be posted, shared and people would simply just show up, chant and our protests have always remained peaceful.

However, no matter how peaceful our protests have been and still are, NCP militia & loyalists kept attacking us with tear gas, live ammunition, whips, and other methods of torture. Not only did we lose over 70 martyrs, who gifted their souls in hope of giving their people a better tomorrow, but many of our revolutionaries have been hospitalized due to losing limbs, losing eyes, head injuries, stomach injuries and many other fatal injuries inflicted upon them by Elbashir’s groups of destruction: NISS, RSF, army and police.

No matter how hard it has been on all of us emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually since late December, the 6th of April 2019 witnessed one of the largest protests in Sudan, where everyone began a sit-in in front of the military headquarters in Khartoum, organized by the SPA. Around the same time, similar sit-ins began across Sudanese states including Al Ginena (West Darfur), Port Sudan, Medani (Al Jezira State) and Kassala, all in front of their own military headquarters.

During our peaceful sit-ins, snipers would hide inside empty buildings and rooftops around the area and shoot random protesters in desperate efforts to protect their corrupt regime, often killing them, in addition to attacking us with tear gas. Gradually, a few members of the army started to rebel against higher commands and side with the people, and those have been our main protectors, in addition to the protesters in charge of the barricades around the area preventing the entrance of NISS, RSF & police. Those army members who have sided with the revolution have in a few occasions clashed with the NISS, causing a huge disruption & confusion in the system.

A few days into the sit-in, as the number of people grew , civilians realized that in order for this to succeed, organization & chaos control was necessary. As a result, committees were formed to take charge of guarding the barricades & searching other protesters entering the premises for guns, sharp objects & anything that might disrupt the peace of our protests. Days later, some groups of protesters managed to go to prisons and release unlawfully detained protesters and political prisoners such as members of the Sudanese Professionals Association, communists, journalists, etc. and that has been a huge milestone in our revolution.

On the 11th of April, Ibn Ouf, the previous vice president, announced that Elbashir had been ousted in a failed attempt to trick the people by simply ‘switching masks’ while still maintaining the same old corrupt regime. The people would not have it, and the streets lit up with anger, as after 30 years of corruption, Sudan has had enough. Shortly after Ibn Ouf’s falling, around 24 hours later, Abdelfatah Elburhan stepped into the chair for the transitional term, claiming to share our same goals for the country and promising to meet our demands which include an immediate transfer of power to a transitional civilian government, an end to the state of emergency previously declared by Elbashir, the dissolution of Elbashir’s corrupt political party and system, with members of the corrupt system being brought to justice, the confiscation of NCP properties and the release of all the civilians detained during the protests. Even though Elburhan did start to take some action towards meeting at least SOME of our demands, and stopped the attacks to civilians more or less, he still seems to be stalling when it comes to the handing over of power to civilians, as well as the serving of justice to members of the corrupt system.

Meanwhile, inside the sit-in, civilians have created a utopia; a miniature, independent, modern, colorful and free Sudan that includes the organization of youths into different committees where each one is in charge of a specific task, including an Awareness Committee, Barricade/Insurance Committee, Anti-harassment Committee, Water Committee, Food Committee, Cleaning Committee, etc. and they have managed to help create a safe, empowering, accepting environment that includes people of different races, backgrounds, religions and ages all united against corruption, and fully dedicated to providing better tomorrows.

Walking through the sit-in, you’d pass by Christians singing hymns, Sufi singing circles, different chanting groups, artists creating beautiful masterpieces on walls & coloring Khartoum, poetry groups, discussion groups, groups of different professions planning how to improve future Sudan, public speeches, several field emergency clinics and a field psychiatric clinic. You’d pass by a miniature school where some civilians are sitting down with children teaching them how to read, face-painting spots, food distribution spots, a giant screen showcasing revolution films made by Sudanese filmmakers & often showing slideshows of all our martyrs, book-reading spots, folklore dancing groups, military members walking around telling jokes, giving empowering speeches and asking civilians not to go home in order to follow this sit-in through. You’d see different banners with chants, health advice, woman-empowering quotes or anti-harassment warnings written on them, and young revolutionaries walking around providing tissues, water, Panadol, chewing gum, etc., a sit-in barbershop, people walking around with papers simply saying, ‘Smile, you’re making history!’

You’d run into young men & women walking around with huge bags asking you to, ‘Please donate money for water, food & medication if you have enough money on you. If you don’t, please don’t be ashamed to take some of this money right here, as much as you need, because it’s the people’s money and therefore yours too.’

Since the beginning of May 2019, Ramadan preparations have also begun in the sit-in. From huge air conditioned tents, to Ramadan decorations, to Ramadan sit-in program schedules, to even further organization of iftar committees, my people seem to be in absolutely no hurry to leave or give up after we’ve come this far.

It is truly devastating that these beautiful people had to go through 30 years of oppression, but truly wonderful that they’re finally becoming aware of their rights. It is 100% guaranteed that walking around our sit-in will have you going through an emotional rollercoaster. You’d feel optimistic that as long as these illuminating souls exist tomorrow will definitely be much brighter, excited to finally witness democracy & freedom being practiced in your country, proud that you’re a part of something so big and are making history, heartbroken to see the sacrifices people have made, those who gave up their lives, futures & everything they’ve loved, and the look on their mothers’ eyes. You’d be surprised that Sudanese have been hiding so much talent & creativity all these years, you’d be determined to follow through until all our demands are met and our revolution succeeds, and a combination of many other emotions that we all go through at the sit-in daily.

This past month, we’ve successfully overthrown two corrupt governments, with the third on the way. No one is going to steal our revolution and we are most definitely not giving up anytime soon.

As we chant, ‘FREEDOM! PEACE! JUSTICE!’ we know for a fact that our moment of victory is closer than it’s ever been, but our revolution is far from over.