Breaking News:Coup in Sudan- 17 alleged plotters arrested!!

Following the news that Sudan have arrested prominent politicians and military chiefs who allegedly involved in a coup which many human right activists denounced as another phony coup ‘stage-managed’ by an African dictator, many are now asking when will such coups and counter coups end in the continent.

The Freedom Newspaper can confirm that the Sudanese authorities few hours ago arrested 17 people, including the opposition leader Mubarak al-Fadil and retired military officers, accusing them of trying to overthrow the government.

Prominent politicians, Fadil and Abdel Jalil al Basha, both of the Umma breakaway party has also been arrested early on Saturday. The defendants including Fadil’s party denied the accusations describing them as ‘bogus and unfounded’.

However Muhammed Abdallah Atta deputy head of the Sudanese State Security, told journalist that the intention of the accused ‘‘was to overthrow the government, but such plan was very weak’’. He further accused Fadil of ‘‘coordinating and masterminding’’ the alleged plot. The prominent opponent of President Bashir is now in the notorious Kobar prison while many others were still being questioned by state security officers.

Meanwhile another poignant story from Africa as the current government in Ethiopia has been strongly criticised by human right groups at the life sentences given to 30 opposition leaders.

Human rights activists said that the sentences of the opposition elements are ‘‘wrong and inhumane". They have urged European Member States to press for their immediate release.

The EU Election Observer said she is appalled at the life sentence describing it as ''farcical and inhumane''.

Eight others in the alleged coup were given shorter jail terms, at the same time five were tried in absentia for their alleged participation in demonstrations against alleged poll-rigging and corruption.

Adil Ahmed, the High Court judge who presided over the case also disqualified the 30 Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) leaders from voting or standing for election in the country thereby causing more anger in the opposition circles. The prosecution had demanded the death penalty for all of them but the judge refused.

One of those sentences in his absence now living in England said that the Ethiopian government is not only ''undemocratic but brutal''and should release the victims as soon as possible. He maintained that it was clear that the sentences were ''political motivated''.

Martin Hill of Amnesty International in the UK also explained that the jailed politicians are victims for merely defending their right to ''free opinion and association'' and should be set free. He said that the whole issue about the demonstrations that cost the lives of 200 most of them killed by security forces was not been properly investigated.

In 2005 the EU issued a statement indicating that the election was shortfall of international standard. Meanwhile Britain had earlier suspended millions of pounds of aid money to Ethiopia.

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