Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Sudan Activists Call for 'Justice' for Killed Protesters

Associated Press

   KHARTOUM, SUDAN -- Tens of thousands of Sudanese flooded the streets of
   Khartoum and other cities Saturday to mark the 40th day since the
   deadly dispersal of a protest sit-in, and a protest leader said a
   planned meeting with the country's ruling generals to sign a
   power-sharing deal was postponed until Sunday.
   The ``Justice First'' marches were called by the Sudanese
   Professionals' Association, which has been spearheading the protests
   since December. Those demonstrations led to the military ouster of
   autocratic president Omar al-Bashir in April.
   The marches marked 40 days since the dispersal of the pro-democracy
   protesters' sit-in outside military headquarters in Khartoum on June 3.
   Protest organizers said security forces killed at least 128 people
   during the dispersal and subsequent crackdown. Authorities, however,
   put the death toll at 61, including three from security forces.

   Accountability sought
   Protesters have called for a ``transparent and fair'' investigation
   into the deaths. ``The military council should be held accountable
   [for] the massacre,'' said protester Samer Hussein.
   Footage and photos posted by the SPA showed thousands of people
   demonstrating in the capital and its sister city of Omdurman. There
   were protests in other places, including the Red Sea city of Port Sudan
   and the eastern province ofKassala.
   Protesters were seen waving Sudanese flags and posters that read
   ``Freedom, Peace and Justice'' and ``Civilian [authority] is the
   people's choice.''
   The marches came just over a week after massive demonstrations on June
   30, when tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets in the
   biggest show of numbers in the uprising. At least 11 people were killed
   in clashes with security forces, according to protest organizers.

.