Social Media Users Go Blue In Solidarity With Sudanese Protests.
All across Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, social media users are changing their profile pictures to the colour blue as part of a campaign to raise awareness about a Sudanese protester killed by a notorious militia. This comes on the heels of Sudan experiencing a “near total blackout” of internet services in recent days as the military has cracked down on protesters.
Mohamed Mattar, a 26-year-old engineer and graduate of London’s Brunel University, was shot by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 3 June, reportedly as he attempted to shield two women from harm.
He was killed in the peaceful sit-in demonstration that had massed outside the military headquarters in Khartoum demanding the armed forces hand power over to a civilian administration.
Since a military coup in April that ousted longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir, a Transitional Military Council has held power and entered into sporadic negotiations with protest leaders about transferring control of the country.
Earlier last week the military and RSF cleared the sit-in, killing more than 100 people.
Protests began in Sudan in December, when citizens in the northern town of Atbara, exasperated by a surge in living costs, burned down the ruling party’s headquarters.
Here are some of the expressions of blue on social media:
Stand with humanity, stand with Sudan— show solidarity by turning your profile to the colour blue! #BlueForSudan #NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/ma0c23PXXA— Al Mayassa Al Thani (@almayassahamad) June 12, 2019
Stand with humanity, stand with Sudan— show solidarity by turning your profile to the colour blue! #BlueForSudan #NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/ma0c23PXXA— Al Mayassa Al Thani (@almayassahamad) June 12, 2019