Civil disobedience calls in Sudan fail as life goes on as usual

Calls for civil disobedience in Sudan, which were launched by social media activists, have failed to mobilize supporters as life appeared normal in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Monday.

Sudanese social media activists and opposition groups have set Dec. 19 for staging civil disobedience to protest the recent economic measures adopted by the government, which led to hikes in the prices of fuel, medicines and electricity.

The traffic in most of Khartoum streets appeared normal while the commercial places, public markets, service centers and government and private institutions proceeded with their activities as usual.

A tour by a Xinhua team in the Sudanese capital showed that government and private schools were engaged in their routine activities.

"My message to the saboteurs and those who call for disobedience: I tell them that this action is not consistent with the meaning of independence. This is consistent with the agents who receive dollars from abroad," Sudan's Vice-President Hasabo Mohamed Abul-Rahman told a rally to celebrate Sudan's independence which took place on Dec. 19, 1956.

"Sudan is for the Sudanese patriots. To the advocates of disobedience, I say it is better for you to call for production," he said.

The calls for civil disobedience started late in November in protest against the government's economic measures which caused a hike in the prices of major commodities, fuel, medicines and electricity.

Earlier, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir described the advocates of the civil disobedience as "keyboard Activists" as the organizers depended on social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. Endit