With statements from the Sudanese party, the US PSL and the Communist parties of Greece, Venezuela, India and Iraq.
Members of the Sudanese Communist Party at a rally. Image for representational purposes via People's Dispatch
The Sudanese Communist Party has condemned what it is calling a "cowardly" attack on its headquarters in Khartoum on May 25. Communist and workers' parties around the world are also adding their voices in condemnation after "fully armed military groups belonging to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) stormed and occupied the headquarters" and "broke down the doors of all offices and halls in the party’s HQ, and carried out extensive acts of vandalism, damage, and looting of all the contents and property of the place."
They have refused to relinquish control of the building.
As a statement from the US Party for Socialism and Liberation noted:
Hundreds of people have died in over a month of devastating fighting between the RSF and the regular Army of the country. Both oppose the goals of the 2018 movement that overthrew president Omar al-Bashir and was sparked by IMF-backed, anti-poor economic measures. But after al-Bashir was ousted, the armed forces attempted to maintain control and prevent the formation of an elected, civilian government.
Statements:
The Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Sudanese Communist Party has issued the following Urgent Press Release:
As the country is suffering the continuation and escalation of this senseless war, fully armed military groups belonging to the Rapid Support Forces stormed and occupied the headquarters of the Sudanese Communist Party in Khartoum yesterday afternoon, 25 May 2023. This aggressive force broke down the doors of all offices and halls in the party’s HQ, and carried out extensive acts of vandalism, damage, and looting of all the contents and property of the place. These forces are still present in the party HQ until now, using it as their headquarters.
We condemn this barbaric and cowardly act in the strongest terms, and we demand that these unbridled forces immediately evacuate the main headquarters of the party and end their occupation of it. The offices of political parties and citizens' homes are not battlefields. We hold the Rapid Support Forces fully responsible for all the damages and missing contents that resulted from this barbaric act, and we will take all legal measures in the face of this attack.
The operations of storming residential homes and terrorizing their occupants, as well as the use of public facilities such as hospitals as headquarters for their presence, have become frequent scenes in this senseless war. They constitute flagrant violations of the sanctities of defenceless citizens and of international laws and norms even in times of war. However, we consider that the attack on the headquarters of political parties and their occupation and conversion into military barracks constitutes a dangerous escalation in the course of this disastrous war. It is an indication of the exploitation by the warring parties of the conditions of widespread security chaos to target and attack the positions of the democratic movement and all the forces rejecting and opposing the war, including the Resistance Committees, trade unions, and political and patriotic forces.
Such attacks and others will not discourage the Sudanese Communist Party from standing in the front lines with the masses of the Sudanese people and their patriotic forces, demanding an end to the war and the prosecution of and holding to account all parties that have contributed to igniting it.
Statement of the International Relations Section of the CC of the KKE on the storming and occupation of the headquarters of the Sudanese CP
Solidarity with the Sudanese CP
The KKE condemns the brutal storming and occupation of the headquarters of the Sudanese Communist Party in the capital, Khartoum, by the Rapid Support Forces (of General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo) in the afternoon of 25 May, carried out with the backing of their domestic and foreign allies.
It expresses its solidarity with the Sudanese CP which is at the forefront of the struggle of the Sudanese people toachieve their economic, social and democratic rights, to create conditions that will allow them to become the masters in their own country.
It demands the immediate withdrawal of the invaders from the headquarters of the Sudanese CP and the repairing of the damage caused.
Hands off the communists of Sudan!
Iraqi Communist Party Condemns Cowardly Attack on the Headquarters of Sudanese Communist Party
26 May 2023
Despite the truce signed by the two parties of the armed conflict in Sudan and their fight for power, the war between them continues, inflicting more destruction and devastation in Sudan, resulting in more victims and intensifying the suffering of the people due to hunger, the spread of disease, and the cessation of public services.
In this disastrous atmosphere, and the escalation of this destructive war, the Rapid Support Forces, one of the two sides of the armed and bloody conflict, stormed the headquarters of the fraternal Sudanese Communist Party, looting and destroying its contents, and occupying it.
While condemning in the strongest terms this cowardly aggression and demanding the evacuation of the headquarters immediately and ending the targeting of national parties and citizens in this senseless war, we renew our position calling for an end to this war. We also declare our solidarity with the Sudanese Communist Party, and the patriotic and civil parties and forces, and trade union organisations, in their struggle to stop the war, establish peace and achieve democratic civil rule. We fully support the struggle to rid Sudan and its people of the ruling generals and their fight over power, and to end the interference of their external backers.
Victory for the Sudanese people
All solidarity with the Sudanese Communist Party
Central Committee
Iraqi Communist Party
CPI Condemns Attacks on Sudanese Communist Party
The National Council of the Communist Party of India strongly condemns the attacks and capturing of the headquarters of the Communist Party of Sudan by fully armed military groups belonging to the Rapid Support Forces on May 25, 2023. Now the headquarters of the Sudanese Communist Party is being used as the headquarters of the Rapid Support Forces.
After the war broke out between the Sudanese Army and Rapid Support forces, Sudanese people are passing through a very difficult period where killing, vandalism and capturing of different institutions as the armed posts of Rapid Support Forces became the order of the day, violating all individual and human rights.
Knowing fully the revolutionary history and their present role in the mass upsurge of Sudanese people against dictatorship and for establishing of a democratic Sudan, such attacks cannot deter the resolve of the Sudanese Communist Party to continue its struggle for an end to the war and establish peace and democratic rights of the people.
Communist Party of India while condemning the acts of Rapid Support Forces, demand immediate handover of the headquarters to the Sudanese Communist Party and reiterates its solidarity with the people of Sudan and Sudanese Communist Party.
Solidarity with the Sudanese Communist Party in the face of the military attack against its headquarters in Khartoum
The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) expresses its solidarity with the Sudanese Communist Party after the attack and military occupation of its headquarters in Khartoum by the Rapid Support Forces, which occurred on May 25, 2023.
The escalation of the conflict between factions fighting for control of power and wealth in the country is converting the headquarters of political parties, the homes of citizens and public facilities such as hospitals and schools, into military headquarters in the service of war, aggravating the human rights situation and increasing war crimes against the population.
We demand the immediate cessation of the military occupation of the headquarters of the Sudanese Communist Party in Khartoum, and all operations aimed at terrorizing the population. We demand that the United Nations (UN) act against this flagrant violation of international law and the human rights of the population on the margins of the conflict.
We reiterate our solidarity and support to the Sudanese Communist Party in its struggle for the end of the war and the prosecution of those responsible.
Political Bureau of the Central Committee
Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV)
Caracas, May 28, 2023
The Party for Socialism and Liberation condemns the outrageous attack, looting and occupation of the headquarters of the Sudanese Communist Party. The May 25 raid was conducted by soldiers of the Rapid Support Forces – one of the two main military factions vying for control of the country. We stand in solidarity with the Communist Party, which is being persecuted for its role fighting to achieve social justice and the end of military rule.
Hundreds of people have died in over a month of devastating fighting between the RSF and the regular Army of the country. Both oppose the goals of the 2018 movement that overthrew president Omar al-Bashir and was sparked by IMF-backed, anti-poor economic measures. But after al-Bashir was ousted, the armed forces attempted to maintain control and prevent the formation of an elected, civilian government.
The Sudanese Communist Party has played a major role throughout this process, marked by both the heroic resistance of the people and terrible violence directed against them. The RSF attack on the Communist Party headquarters is an attempt to repress and intimidate the entire democratic movement of the people of Sudan.
We demand the immediate end to the occupation of the headquarters and the return of all stolen property of the Communist Party. And we join with the people’s movement of Sudan in demanding an immediate end to the fighting between the RSF and the Army, along with the end of any military factions’ rule of the country.
***
For the latest statements and information see the Sudanese Communist Party Facebook page.