Sudanese workers strike against dictatorship’s privatisation

This 23 February 2019 video says about itself:

Protesters in Sudan’s capital have denounced the president’s state of emergency.

Omar al-Bashir announced he was dissolving the government, but just hours later, appointed six new ministers. It is part of a series of measures to counter weeks of nationwide rallies against the government.

Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari reports.

From the World Socialist Web Site, 22 February 2019:

Dock workers strike to stop sell-off of Sudan’s ports

Eighteen hundred Sudanese port workers are on strike in Port Sudan to protest the privatisation of the docks and job losses. If sold off, health and education provided by port authorities would go.

Workers prevented company ships picking up goods for four days. The port was packed with containers and ships waiting to be unloaded.

Last month, ICTSI subsidiary ICTSI Middle East DMCC signed a 20-year deal with the Sea Ports Corporation of Sudan to operate, manage and develop the South Port Container Terminal. The company already has a four-year contract to manage container traffic. ICTSI has given the struggling Sudanese government a $460 million down payment.

ICTSI is an enormous international operation managing ports in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and the Americas.

The Alternative Trade Union of Port Workers members are also demanding payment for November last year and the reappointment of the previous port director.

The contract is being promoted by President Omar al-Bashir. During uprisings calling for his downfall beginning in December many workers were killed by government troops.