Sudan president guards killed at Khartoum palace
Two security guards have been killed by a man armed with a knife outside Sudan's presidential palace in the capital Khartoum, officials say. The attacker seized one of the guards' weapons before other guards killed him,
Two security guards have been killed by a man armed with a knife outside Sudan’s presidential palace in the capital Khartoum, officials say.
The attacker seized one of the guards’ weapons before other guards killed him, a presidential spokesman said.
He said the man appeared to be “mentally unstable”. President Omar al-Bashir was not there at the time.
Mr Bashir first seized power in a coup in 1989, and announced last month he would run for office again next year.
Press secretary Emad Ahmed said the assailant did not respond to calls to stop before he was shot dead by guards.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), which Sudan does not recognise, has indicted President Bashir for genocide in the Darfur region. He denies the charges.
The African Union (AU) has backed Mr Bashir in his rejection of The Hague-based court’s indictment.
It argues that as a serving head of state, he enjoys presidential immunity.
Source: BBC
ሓውኻ ኣበይ ኣሎ? November 11, 2014
The killer might be one of those Darfurians who lost all his family members that were by Bashir’s killing squads the Janjaweed.
ሓውኻ ኣበይ ኣሎ? November 11, 2014
Correction
The killer might be one of those Darfurians who lost all his family members that were murdered by Bashir’s killing squads the Janjaweed.
Mulue November 11, 2014
The people in East Africa bored by the long lasting dictator leaders because of their worst method of governance!!!! God safes Africa from the evil leaders in a near future!!!!! I believe change will appear soon! One day we will walk freely and we will be able to be shared our natural resources equitably and respected our rights without discrimination!!!!!
Tamrta Tamrat November 12, 2014
God does only one thing ie create people. But the rust is upto each individual and the intelegence of us as a group.
Geje November 11, 2014
For the crimes he had committed on thousands of Muslims of Darfur and the Southern Sudanese in the name of “Islamic Jihad”, I hope they get him alive next time and burn him in oil or finish him Gadafi style.
Wadbahar November 12, 2014
Though he did not kill the right person or the source of all miseries for the country and its people, the killer is a brave national who translated what he believes into action. This is not terrorism or mental disorder, as some would think or the government wants the people to believe. It is rather a reaction to injustice and oppression practiced by the state terrorism.
Having this in mind, we are waiting for a brave man/woman who would put his/her poisonous dagger into the devil heart of our dictator and end the miseries of the Eritrean people. That will definitely open the door for change and we will pick up from there, though the journey to transition could be rough. Nonetheless, we will finally make it and reach our destination.
I hope nobody will label me as a terrorist. Terrorism is nothing but state terrorism and every action taken in response to justice and oppression is a legitimate action, reaction and resistance.
Wadbahar November 12, 2014
correction:
In the last line of my comment, please correct the word “justice” into “injustice”. Thanks.
anedo November 12, 2014
I heard the guards were From Hidareb and beni amir tribes of Eritrean origins.
Genet-orginal November 12, 2014
“Mr Bashir first seized power in a coup in 1989, and announced last month he would run for office again next year”
Why????? seating on the helm of power for 25 years is not enough for this man. Why can other smart Sudanese take their tern to lead their country? What is wrong with us Africans?
Genet
Wadbahar November 13, 2014
Yes, Sister, African leaders (I would add Arab leaders too) occupy statesmanship positions until they die, irrespective of health conditions (Abdulaziz Bouteflika of Algeria: President since 1999 and now rules his third term from a wheel-chair), long duration of tenure (Mugabe, Gaddafi, Mubarak …etc. are few among the many examples), and people’s discontent that is always brutally dealt with in the silence of international community, whose leaders interfere only when their interests are threatened. Yours is a great question haunting our minds daily. I will have some humble contributions below by way of looking for answers as to why they glue to power until they die.
Basically, they want power and wealth and their people mean nothing to them (fake nationalism). Once they taste power, they want to remain rulers for life (if possible to be the lord of the planet) and even pass the power to their sons (the good news for the friends of the Sudan is that Al Bashier has no kids or Abraham). At the same time, each dictator knows that his hands are full of blood in the struggle he made to survive long in power (just imagine Isias from day one on power before and after independence). Therefore, the fear of his past actions forces him to glue to power so that he makes sure he dies in his comfortable bed; not at the end of a rope. Add to that, our terrible ignorance that makes us prefer leaving the country to fighting for our rights should also be considered an important reason giving green light to our dictators to stick to power (Just imagine the Eritrean case). Furthermore, history has shown that dictators always want to keep their people poor because the whole attention of the people will be earning bread to survive and nobody would care about politics. This principle explains why they are successful (it is their tool) and is candidly put by an Arab proverb which says “Jawe Kalbak Yetbaak” (Keep your dog hungry and it will follow you or it will be loyal to you). These are few among the many reasons to consider.
Nevertheless, as African history is not all dark, there are giant African leaders who should be emulated when it comes to relinquishing power. These include Julus Nyrere of Tanzania (president: 1965-1985), Mandella of South Africa (President: 1994-1999), Festus Mogae of Botswana (President: 1998-2008) and Suwar Al-Dahab of the Sudan who made a coup against Al-Numeiry in 1985, became Chairman of the Transitional Military Council, and surrendered power after the election of the government of Sadiq Al-Mahdi in 1986. These are great sons of Africa who should be emulated and whose glorious history we need to teach to our kids in our African schools. However, as this emulation has no meaning and taste to our African dictators who want to rule until they die of HIV/AIDS (intimate friend of the African dictators), forcing them out of power the Gaddafi way is the only alternative we have to consider. Cheers!
Genet-orginal November 13, 2014
Dear Wadbahar
You are very smart individual and I enjoy reading your historic events and analysis. I missed this kind of intelligent discussion at Assenna, home of the smarts. Thank you!
Most African leaders “glue” themselves to power until they die. I think, you are right when you said, in part it is because they are afraid of the heinous crimes they committed, against their own people. Thank you for pointing out that factor. Basically, they put themselves in the trap of power, in order to save themselves; they kill their people and destroy their country and young peoples’ future. May be we need to find a solution like, depending the duration of power, control and crime, the affected Africans people like us, Eritreans, can come up with some kind of compromise to prevent years of destruction to our people. If a dictator “glue” himself to power until he dies, the rest of the country and the future of young people is destroyed for ever. For the sake of our people and future, we can even set a dictator free in order to save our future. Some of us may say, No, we want to kill the dictator. We can kill one man, but we will never bring back what we have lost. And there is a good possibility, the dictator can lives on. History showed us over and over again, dictators don’t learn from other dictators. they all end their lives the same way. What is the choice? Us, from outside of the fences telling the dictator “we are going to kill you if you come out of the there” And him inside of his wired fences and mercenaries on the outside, telling us, “make me” So, what is the plan?
Genet-O
Kombishtato November 14, 2014
Courtesy of Alem,
According to 2010 FP report of London:
“4 OMAR HASSAN AL-BASHIR of Sudan: “A megalomaniac zealot who has quashed all opposition, Bashir is responsible for the deaths of millions of Sudanese and has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. Bashir’s Arab militias, the janjaweed, may have halted their massacres in Darfur, but they continue to traffic black Sudanese as slaves (Bashir himself has been accused of having had several at one point).” FP….Our Sudanese brothers and sisters you need to take a lesson from Burkina Faso and you need to depose this criminal old man and replace him with a young democratic generation.”