This is the inquiry on the BBC World Service with me Ruth Alexander.

Each week one question, four expert witnesses and an answer.

In the early hours of Thursday the 11th of April in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan,

military vehicles rolled into a large compound housing the Ministry of Defense and the President's residence.

Shortly afterwards, programmes on state TV and radio were interrupted

and patriotic music began to play. Rumors swirled that the president had been ousted.

There'd been demonstrations against his rule for four months.

Thousands of people streamed towards the presidential compound

to join the thousands already there. Jubilant, clapping and chanting, we won. The music played on and on.

Finally, it was announced that the president had been overthrown.

And a military council was temporarily in charge.

More people poured onto the streets. In celebration? No, anger. It looked to them like the military had just

stolen their victory. All that was a month ago. Today the military is still in charge and the protesters still out

on the streets. So we want to know what next for Saddam.

Part one, Sudan's Summer of Love.

I was born in Sudan, I went to school in Sudan, I started my university education in Sudan,

and then in 1996 I was arrested by the national intelligence security forces.

Our first expert witness is BBC journalist Mohamed Hashim.

I was tortured, beaten, but three weeks later the university was shut down. At that moment I

got on a plane and came to England. After many years away,

Mahanad is now back in Sudan, reporting on the protests which came to a head

on the symbolic date of the 6th of April,

...