Sit-in against toxic mining continues in South Kordofan

Activist and residents of Talodi in Sudan’s South Kordofan have reiterated their demands that all companies working in the field of gold exploration should be expelled, as their protest sit-in, entered its third day on Wednesday.

Activist Khaled Mohamed told Radio Dabanga that the protesters in front of the local adherence to the peaceful demands, especially the deportation of all companies involved in the exploration of gold from the region without conditions.

As reported by Radio Dabanga ad the weekend, residents of Talodi barricaded the locality offices and offices of the civil administration on Friday after a mass demonstration across the town against mining companies accused of using highly toxic cyanide. They threaten to raid the offices if their demands are not met.

Activists told Radio Dabanga on Sunday that residents of the town held a peaceful march on Saturday to protest the authorities’ delay in implementing the demands made during a protest and sit-in on Thursday.

They said the three-day deadline set by the people to close mining companies, expired on Saturday without making any progress.

Activist Khaled Mohamed pointed to the seriousness of the situation in the local area. He expressed his fears of uncontrollable situations if he ignored their demands, pointing out that there are calls among the youth sector to escalate and use other means other than peaceful.

The open sit-in of the people of the town of Kologi in South Kordofan State turned into civil disobedience due to the lack of response to their demands, especially the removal of gold exploration companies from the locality.

Khaled Mohamed told Radio Dabanga that the residents of Kologi in Kadeer locality have been engaged in civil disobedience since Tuesday in order not to respond to their demands raised during the nine-day peaceful sit-in.

He pointed out that all government departments and markets in the town are closed.

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