'Nubian queen' rally leader says women key in Sudan protests

KHARTOUM - Thousands of Sudanese protesters were camped outside army headquarters for a fifth day on Wednesday demanding President Omar al-Bashir step down, after the police ordered their forces not to intervene.

In what has become the biggest challenge yet to Bashir's three decades of iron-fisted rule, crowds of demonstrators thronged the sprawling complex, singing and dancing to the tunes of revolutionary songs, witnesses said.

A woman dubbed the protest movement's "Nubian queen" said she was "very proud to take part in this revolution".

'Kandaka'

Alaa Salah , who was propelled to internet fame earlier this week after leading powerful protest chants in the capital said that women are key to the uprising against President Omar al-Bashir's iron-fisted rule.

"Sudanese women have always participated in revolutions in this country," Salah said after footage went viral of her standing on a car, singing and conducting crowds outside the army headquarters in Khartoum.

"If you see Sudan's history, all our queens have led the state. It's part of our heritage."

In the clips, the elegant Salah stands atop a car wearing a long white headscarf and skirt as she sings and works the crowd, her golden full-moon earings reflecting light from the fading sunset and a sea of camera phones surrounding her.

"I'm very proud to take part in this revolution and I hope our revolution will achieve its goal," added the engineering and architecture student at Sudan International University.

Dubbed online as "Kandaka", or Nubian queen, she has become a symbol of the protests which she says have traditionally had a female backbone in Sudan.

Her new-found fame pushed her to set up her own Twitter account in which she thanked everyone "from the bottom of my heart. The struggle for a democratic and prosperous Sudan continues".

In another tweet Wednesday she says she "wanted to get on the car and speak to the people ... speak against racism and tribalism in all its forms, which affects everyone across all walks of life.

"I wanted to speak on behalf of the youth. I wanted to come out and say that Sudan is for all."

'No difference'

Demonstrators have been camped outside the military complex for days asking the army to back them in demands that Bashir step down.

Woman have made up a large part of the demonstrators that since Saturday have thronged outside the sprawling army complex.

Braving regular volleys of tear gas, the crowds have been the biggest yet to rally against Bashir's rule since unrest broke out in late December.

"In such movements, women are widely participating not only for their rights but for the rights of the entire community... there's no difference between women's rights and community rights," Salah said.

"Women of Sudan always encourage their youths to fight. This is part of the history of Kandaka," she added.

Salah said she has taken part in the protests since they first erupted on December 19 in response to a government decision to triple the price of bread.

The unrest quickly morphed into a nationwide campaign against Bashir's rule with rallies held across cities, towns and villages.

On Wednesday, protesters were raising funds to ensure a regular supply of food and water for the crowd.

"Many shop owners and businessmen have offered us free supplies," said one demonstrator.

Protesters were also putting up five big screens at the site of the rally, an onlooker said.

11 people killed

The anti-government demonstrators have braved regular volleys of tear gas from members of the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service since they began camping at the army headquarters on April 6, protest organisers say.

But for the first time overnight Tuesday they did not face any "threat" from security agents, said a protester who requested anonymity for security reasons.

That came after 11 people including six members of the security forces were killed Tuesday during demonstrations in the capital, government spokesman Hassan Ismail told the official SUNA news agency.

Officials say 49 people have died in protest-related violence since demonstrations first erupted in December.

Witnesses said troops had stationed several vehicles loaded with machine-guns at the gates of the complex, which also houses Bashir's residence and the defence ministry.

"The soldiers at the complex are also angry after the attacks of tear gas and are determined to prevent them," another demonstrator said.

On Tuesday, security agents had to abort bids to disperse the crowds when soldiers fired in the air to counter incoming volleys of tear gas from security agents.

"It seems the police too are now with us," said a protester.

"When we were coming to the army building last night we saw many policemen but they did not stop us."

The police on Tuesday ordered its officers to avoid intervening against the demonstrators.

"We call on God to preserve the security and calm of our country ... and to unite the Sudanese people... for an agreement which would support the peaceful transition of power," a police spokesman said in a statement.

Pro-Bashir rally

As the sit-in continued at army headquarters, the acting chief of the president's ruling party, Ahmed Harun, backed calls by loyalists to hold a pro-Bashir rally.

"The National Congress Party's executive bureau supports the national dialogue partners' initiative to organise a gathering to be seen by all the people on Thursday," he said in a statement.

"I call on all members of NCP across the state of Khartoum to participate in this rally."

Bashir has remained defiant in the face of protests, which first erupted on December 19 in response to a government decision to triple the price of bread.

They quickly mushroomed into a nationwide campaign against the president's rule with rallies held across cities, towns and villages.

In response, Bashir has imposed a slew of tough measures including a nationwide state of emergency, which has led to scores of journalists and activists being arrested.

On Tuesday, the United States, Britain and Norway for the first time threw their weight behind the protesters, calling for a credible political transition plan in Sudan.

"The time has come for the Sudanese authorities to respond to these popular demands in a serious" way, the Khartoum embassies of the three countries said in a statement.

"The Sudanese authorities must now respond and deliver a credible plan for this political transition."

Defence Minister General Awad Ibnouf has vowed the army will "not allow the country to fall into chaos", in comments published Monday by state media.

The umbrella group spearheading the protests has meanwhile appealed to the army for talks on forming a transitional government.