Neighbourhoods in North Kordofan capital protest water shut-down

Hundreds of residents from neighbourhoods in the North Kordofan capital of El Obeid took to the streets in two separate demonstrations on Tuesday to protest the ongoing interruption of water services in the city. Similar shortages are being felt elsewhere in Sudan.

One of the demonstrators told Radio Dabanga that hundreds of residents of the districts Hasib, Rumeila, and Ushar in El Obeid protested against the lack of water for more than a month where the price of a barrel of water has amounted to SDG 100 (*$3.55).

He said the demonstrators blocked the road for two hours and stopped the movement of vehicles.

He said that the deputy governor came to the site of the demonstration accompanied by three police trucks, five Land Cruisers, and a number of heavily armed security guards.

He said the demonstration was disbanded after the deputy governor pledged to restore water services in a day.

He said that one of the residents was arrested because of the demonstration while members of the security apparatus prevented residents from filming and deleted the pictures of the demonstration from a mobile phone.

El Guba

Yesterday dozens of residents of El Guba district in El Obeid closed the main road linking the district to the grand market in protest against the interruption of water services for more than a month.

A resident of the district told Radio Dabanga that the residents had submitted numerous complaints to the Water Corporation and the state government without being heard.

A large police force accompanied by government officials opened the way after they promised an immediate solution to the water crisis.

West Kordofan

El Mujlad in West Kordofan is experiencing a severe drinking water crisis due to the lack of fuel and the disruption of some of the water engines.

Resident reported that the crisis has lasted for more than a month where the price of a barrel of water has risen to SDG 60 ($2.13).

They said most that of the water engines in the centre of the city have stalled due to non-operation or lack of fuel and pointed out that residents of the city are getting water through carts from water engines outside the city.

They appealed via Radio Dabanga on the competent authorities to repair these water engines.

Port Sudan

The acute water crisis hit most districts of in Port Sudan has entered its third week without finding a solution from the authorities. Lawyer Abdelmonim Jabrallah told Radio Dabanga that most of the city’s districts have seen a complete lack of water and rise of its prices.

He pointed to the interruption of services from the districts of Salabona, Abuhashis, El Sawra, and El Jenein for more than two weeks.

He said that the authorities have not intervened to deal with the crisis, which he attributed to the low level of water in the River Arbaat together with the problems of networks carrier.

He said that a state of discontent has prevailed among the residents because of the water crisis and rise of prices.

He called on the authorities to intervene immediately to deal with the crisis.

* Based on the indicative US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan