• Demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Ramadan 29 or May 11, 2021 to mark the anniversary of the killing of protesters during a raid on an anti-government sit-in in 2019. AFP
    Demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Ramadan 29 or May 11, 2021 to mark the anniversary of the killing of protesters during a raid on an anti-government sit-in in 2019. AFP
  • Demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Ramadan 29 or May 11, 2021 to mark the anniversary of the killing of protesters during a raid on an anti-government sit-in in 2019. AFP
    Demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Ramadan 29 or May 11, 2021 to mark the anniversary of the killing of protesters during a raid on an anti-government sit-in in 2019. AFP
  • Demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Ramadan 29 or May 11, 2021 to mark the anniversary of the killing of protesters during a raid on an anti-government sit-in in 2019. AFP
    Demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Ramadan 29 or May 11, 2021 to mark the anniversary of the killing of protesters during a raid on an anti-government sit-in in 2019. AFP
  • Demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Ramadan 29 or May 11, 2021 to mark the anniversary of the killing of protesters during a raid on an anti-government sit-in in 2019. AFP
    Demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Ramadan 29 or May 11, 2021 to mark the anniversary of the killing of protesters during a raid on an anti-government sit-in in 2019. AFP

Soldiers in Sudan accused of killing protesters face tribunal


Hamza Hendawi
  • English
  • Arabic

Sudan's military detained about 100 soldiers after peaceful protesters were shot dead outside its headquarters in Khartoum last week.

The transitional Sovereignty Council said they would be given into the custody of the country's senior prosecutor on Sunday, along with the findings of an investigation into Tuesday's shooting so that legal proceedings could begin.

The council said the forces had waived the detainees' right to a trial before a military panel "to guarantee transparency, to protect the investigation and out of concern for the security and safety of citizens".

The statement did not disclose the number of soldiers involved, but the chief prosecutor's office said those held included seven charged by the military with playing a direct part in the shooting and 92 other suspects. Two protesters were killed and at least 16 were injured.

The speed of the military's response appeared to be an attempt to assuage the anger felt by many Sudanese against the killings.

Hundreds of protesters in Khartoum neighbourhoods took to the streets and barricaded roads, disrupting traffic during the three-day holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

Several TV networks refrained from airing customary festive songs during Eid Al Fitr out of respect for the victims' families.

Troops opened fire on the protesters on Tuesday night. The demonstrators had been marking the second anniversary of the deadly break-up of a pro-democracy sit-in held at military headquarters.

The military described last week's protest as peaceful.

The 2019 sit-in began before the military removed dictator Omar Al Bashir from office on April 11 that year.

It continued after he was deposed in an effort to press demands for a handover of power to a civilian government.

About 100 people were killed when security forces broke up the sit-in. The military said an attempt to clear criminals from the site got out of control.

An independent investigation launched in 2019 has yet to announce its findings.

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Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

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While you're here
Who is Allegra Stratton?

 

  • Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
  • Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
  • In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
  • The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
  • Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
  • She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
  • Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Scoreline

Germany 2

Werner 9', Sane 19'

Netherlands 2

Promes 85', Van Dijk 90'

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh960,000
Engine 3.9L twin-turbo V8 
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Power 661hp @8,000rpm
Torque 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.4L / 100k