Sudan is experiencing another wave of pro-democracy protests after the country’s prime minister Abdalla Hamdok stepped down from his role. Protests had preceded Hamdok’s resignation, which came only a mere month after he was reinstated after being ousted during an October military coup. This coup was led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Sudanese military seized power and detained Hamdok and other civilian leaders. Hamdok’s reinstating came as a result of large-scale public protest and international pressure. The pro-democracy protests first began occurring en-mass in 2019 after Sudan’s dictator Omar al-Bashir was ousted after a grassroots revolution where civilians from specific districts acted as the basis for the political and economic movement.

The post-dictatorship transitional government was a tenuous gradual attempt at strengthening a fragile democratic transition. Sudanese civil society activist, Maha Tambal has stated that many civilians in Sudan see Abdalla Hamdok’s reinstating and alliance with the very military group that had ousted him as the legitimization of the military coup.

Thus, civilians continue to protest since, despite the reinstating of a previously popular prime minister, it does not mark any changes in the country’s political and economic infrastructure or freedom from the coup’s leaders. The alliance between Hamdok and members of the military shows that the coup did largely succeed. However, power has not been evenly distributed amongst civilian leaders. Eric Reeves, a Sudan researcher, explains, “It’s a country that’s in a very fragile state, those in the streets are saying they will not give up and that means that the military is going to respond with force. It’s going to produce more bloodshed.”

Security forces have already met some of those demonstrations with violence. Internationally the coup has been condemned for its use of force against protestors and the power grab has threatened the possibility of international funding and debt relief, something Sudan needs amidst a profound economic crisis. The military has been responding to protests by arresting opposition leaders and cutting off internet access, as well as consolidating government control by giving government posts to ex-officials from Sudan’s era of dictatorship.

At least 60 people have been killed by Sudanese security forces since the October coup of last year. The first step is likely allowing the pro-democracy movement to become a more cohesive and unified front, and the coalition that helped broker the transitional government, the Forces for Freedom and Change, needs to reach a consensus from protestors on the street and resistance committees.

Pro-democracy groups in Sudan have called for the release of political prisoners and a return to the pre-coup transition with civilians in primary control. Only continued international pressure, primarily from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Sudan’s main allies and benefactors, can help. Removing Sudan from the international economy or debt relief are potential leverage points to placing pressure on the Sudanese military. To avoid further violence and protests, a power-sharing arrangement should be avoided.