Omar al-Bashir behaves like all other Arab dictators when faced with public protest. He keeps on denying that the growing protests against his rule could be seen as part of the Arab Spring. “The hot summer sun is burning on Sudan's enemies," al-Bashir recently stated. In other words, Bashir refuses to admit that the public anger against his policies already caused the Sudan to be divided into two states, both suffering from instability and poverty. Tensions between the two countries and a cut in oil revenues forced Bashir's government to implement tough austerity measures, which drove people in different parts of the country to protest in the streets. They were joined by university students calling for Bashir's rule to end. However, it seems that he doesn't learn from the recent events in neighbouring countries. He denies the emergence of a revolution in his country and claims that the protests are instigated by ‘foreign hands'. The presence of the Egyptian journalist Shaymaa Adel, who was arrested, could have been mistaken as evidence of a foreign plot. Adel was arrested by Sudanese Intelligence and charged with interfering in domestic affairs, simply because she wanted to interview some members of the opposition! All political groups and activists in Egypt calling for her release were ignored. Adel, like other journalists, is committed to covering important events taking place in any country. But she is considered an enemy of a tyrannical regime that seeks to stifle all protests before they can grow into a full-scale revolution. Shaymaa Adel, 25, has been subjected to great injustice. Her fate is still not clear and her life might be in danger. President Morsi is strengthening his legal authority and ties with sister Arab countries. He should take the time to phone his Sudanese counterpart and request Adel's immediate release. It is important that Morsi conveys the clear message to the world that post-revolution Egypt is protecting its citizens abroad even more than at home.
