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![Sudanese Youth Use Facebook to Ignite Protest]()
Sudan is one of the world's most repressive countries, but the winds of change appear to blowing -- with an assist from Facebook.
Calling for peaceful political change in Sudan, a Facebook group called Youth for Change is holding the protests roiling Tunisia and Egypt as examples of how people power can bring change to powerful autocratic governments.
Thus far, Youth for Change messages have stressed that their demonstrations won't involve acts of sabotage. But how long will the youth remain patient, especially if the government gets a little heavy-handed in its response to the protests?
A New York Times report said that one protester was killed and thousands of young Sudanese have been beaten and arrested in recent weeks. The protests appear to be well organized and have ranged from a few dozen to several hundred people in cities across the large nation.
It doesn't take much to turn disgruntled folks gathering in a public square into an international crisis point -- just ask Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak who has witnessed his 30-year rule engulfed in flames, violence and calls for his immediate resignation.
The Egyptian protests got a boost early on because the military took a hands-off approach to the growing anti-government crowds in Cairo.
It is unlikely that will happen in Sudan because the government of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is basically run by the military.
But the time could be right for big changes in Sudan. They are already on the way since the vote by the southern part of the country for independence from the government controlled north last month.
The vote to create a new government in the oil-rich south will open a whole new trend of thought in Sudan where personal freedom and open criticism of the government can be seen as realities.
These could be interesting days for Sudan as long as the people keep demanding change.
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