Micaela Madueño
Protests sparked in Sudan, Khartoum in October of 2021 after the Sudanese military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, took control of the government in a military coup. After the military claimed that “their natural place was to judge developments in Sudan, and bring out the guns as they saw fit,” dozens of government officials were arrested. Given the threat this brings to democracy, citizens' discontent grew into uprisings: “Sudanese pro-democracy protesters have been resolute in calling for an unconditional end to military rule”. Given the lack of external aid and international intervention, protesters have to rely upon themselves to determine Sudan’s future.
As a result, protesters gathered 2km from the palace, fighting for a return to civilian rule. Previously, a power-sharing arrangement with the government after Omar al-Bashir’s rule was attained through a revolutionary uprising, yet their suffering and efforts are now threatened again by the coup. The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD) stated that at least 71 protesters had been killed by security forces, while dozens were severely wounded.
Amidst the terror and continuous suffering, one young, courageous protester decided to take further action. His best friend had been murdered by security forces who, to make things worse, were also accused of sexually assaulting women and hunting down activists. Fueled by the unfairness of the murder, he decided to stop the military.
The idea of the costume came from a fond childhood memory: the fable of a spider that protected Prophet Muhammed and his companion by covering the mouth of a cave with webs, fooling their enemies. As a homage to his deceased friend, he suited up in Spiderman attire and became one of the leading minds of the movement.
Dressed in his red and blue suit, this anonymous leader fights amongst the other citizens confronting “teargas canisters, water cannons, and live bullets”. Without the mask, he is a self-taught scientist who teaches robotics to young children. His figure vibrates resilience, seemingly energizing protesters.
“The night comes and the night goes, every day is like this,” said Sudanese Spiderman. “With the will of God, we still come out. Until today we continue to try to liberate the country but we have no fear. The people of Sudan, all of them, will continue to face the security forces and their bullets.”
Bibliography:
News, V. O. A. (2021, December 6). Thousands protest Sudan's October coup. VOA. Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://www.voanews.com/a/thousands-protest-sudan-s-october-coup-/6341847.html.
Council on Foreign Relations. (n.d.). Sudanese protesters insist on end to military rule. Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://www.cfr.org/blog/sudanese-protesters-insist-end-military-rule
Guardian News and Media. (2022, May 17). The 'spider-man' of Sudan: Masked activist becomes symbol of resistance. The Guardian. Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/may/17/the-spider-man-of-sudan-masked-activist-becomes-symbol-of-resistance-documentary#:~:text=According%20to%20film%2Dmaker%20Phil,other%20social%20and%20cultural%20activities.
Gomez, D. (2022, May 17). 'Spider-Man of sudan' doc: Costumed protester becomes symbol of Resistance Movement (video). TheWrap. Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://www.thewrap.com/spider-man-of-sudan-doc-costumed-protester-becomes-symbol-of-resistance-movement-video/.
Guardian, T. (2022, June 18). The 'spider-man' of sudan: The real-life superhero of the Protest Movement. Vimeo. Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://vimeo.com/713204221.