{UAH} Revolution is female, meet the iconic women behind the Sudan Uprising
|
10:56 AM |
No comments |
Women, who believe that Bashir's regime is synonymous with all types of repression, played central roles in these demonstrations, often seen chanting and clapping among crowds with men often in a minority.
Click to read more:
Revolution is female, meet the iconic women behind the Sudan Uprising
April 11, 2019 at 10:00 am | WOMEN
Mildred Europa Taylor is a writer and content creator. She loves writing about health and women's issues in Africa and the African diaspora.
- Hamar: Women of this Ethiopian tribe beg men to beat them as part of custom
- This 26-year-old Nigerian is now the highest paid robotics engineer in the world
- At just 21, Iddris Sandu is the tech genius behind Uber, Instagram and Snapchat
- Banyankole: The tribe in Uganda that allows bride's aunt to sleep with groom before marriage
- How this Rwandan widow saved dozens from the 1994 Genocide with fake magic
- Revolution is female, meet the iconic women behind the Sudan Uprising
- New Jersey mourns school principal who died after donating bone marrow to boy he never met
- Nigerian university becomes first to launch its own organic waste power plant
22-year-old Alaa Salah leading protests in Sudan. Pic credit: Twitter/Lana H. HarounAfter four months of protests, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has finally stepped down and the army will oversee a two-year transitional period followed by elections.
Bashir, who had ruled the country for 30 years, is at the presidential palace under house arrest, confirmed the defence minister Awad Ibn Oufs.
Tens of thousands of jubilant Sudanese, including women and children, were seen marching towards the military headquarters in the capital waving the national flag, singing and clapping. These women have been at the forefront of the unrest that has seen the end of Bashir's tenure.
Support Pan-African JournalismSUBSCRIBE
MORE ABOUT THIS
According to the BBC, an estimated 70 per cent of the protestors are women. Among calls to end corruption, unemployment and harassment of opponents, these women have also demanded an end to sexism that infringes on their rights.
Women's rights activists told euronews that Sudanese women have often been faced with restrictive laws that dictate to them what they can wear and where they can go. About 15,000 women were sentenced to flogging in 2016, non-governmental groups in Sudan said.
Protests in Sudan began last December following hikes in bread and fuel prices. The demonstrations quickly spread, and inspired by the success of similar protests in Algeria, protestors began calling on al-Bashir to step down.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir steps down. Pic credit: ENCABashir, who is being sought by international prosecutors for alleged war crimes in the country's western Darfur region, had refused to step down and said his opponents should seek power through the ballot box.
Media reports indicate that there were violent crackdowns on protestors, but this did not deter them from their actions. Women, who believe that Bashir's regime is synonymous with all types of repression, played central roles in these demonstrations, often seen chanting and clapping among crowds with men often in a minority.
One of these brave women was Alaa Salah. The 22-year-old architecture student went viral after a photo of her standing on a car and speaking with one arm raised high was shared on social media.
The photo was taken on Monday night in the centre of Khartoum, amid tens of thousands who thronged the roads in front of the heavily guarded complex housing the military headquarters and other intelligence services.
The picture of the woman in white with gold earrings suddenly became an icon of the protest as well as a symbol of female leadership.
"She was trying to give everyone hope and positive energy and she did it," Lana Haroun, who took the picture told CNN.
"She was representing all Sudanese women and girls and she inspired every woman and girl at the sit-in. She was telling the story of Sudanese women … she was perfect."
Salah, standing above the crowd, was chanting "My grandmother is a Kandaka!" as the crowd responded with "Revolution!"
"Kandaka" is the title given to the Nubian queens of ancient Sudan and has now become a popular nickname for women protesters. The term suggests a legacy of empowered women who fight hard for their country and their rights, Hind Makki, an interfaith academic, explained on Twitter.
Her entire outfit is also a callback to the clothing worn by our mothers & grandmothers in the 60s, 70s, & 80s who dressed like this during while they marched the streets demonstrating against previous military dictatorships.
Sudanese everywhere are referring to female protestors as "Kandaka," which is the title given to the Nubian queens of ancient Sudan whose gift to their descendents is a legacy of empowered women who fight hard for their country and their rights.
She added that Salaah's outfit was a "callback to the clothing worn by our mothers & grandmothers in the 60s, 70s, & 80s who dressed like this during while they marched the streets demonstrating against previous military dictatorships."
Her white robe and gold moon earrings also represented "working women" and "feminine beauty".
Many were surprised to see a woman come out strongly against a regime that tends to suppress her colleagues, as many others, including Wifag, earlier told the BBC that she was arrested for her involvement in the protest.
"There is no amount of beating or detention that could make us stop."
These women and many more like them, are leading the huge protests against Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir.#SudanProtests l #SudanUprising
But Salah, who said she had received death threats after her picture was shared via social media was not perturbed.
I've been receiving death threats after my picture & video went viral. I will not bow down. My voice can not be suppressed. Will hold Al-Bashir responsible if anything happens to me. #JusticeWillPrevail
In the following video, she can be seen singing alongside other brave women who thronged the streets to demand the removal of their leader.
Kandaka Queen, @iAlaaSalah. These are the brave women, leading the Sudanese Revolution.
#kandakaforever #Sudan #Sudan_revolution #sudanesewomen
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
Related Posts:
{UAH} South Sudan 'Minister Spills Secrets of Juba Massacres'
{UAH} ISO Has No Funds to Run National Security
{UAH} South Sudan army claims to retake Malakal from rebels- {UAH} Museveni : Polygamy is part of African life - homosexuality is not
- {UAH} Uganda: Miracle - the West Is Not That Far Off, After All
0 comments:
Post a Comment