Sudan farmers continue to face junta clampdown

Farmers in Sudan’s Northern State have met with the head of the Sovereignty Council, Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, in an attempts to break the impasse. Military forces broke up the barricades in the Abri area of Sudan’s Northern State yesterday afternoon. The forces then proceeded to open the Sheryan El Shimal road (Artery of the North), which links Sudan with Egypt, in order to let lorries pass.

In a meeting led by the head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council,Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, the government came to an agreement with protesters on the matter of the electricity price hike. The agreement outlined that the agricultural sector would be exempt from the raised electricity tariff until the end of the winter season on April 30, on condition that the blockade is lifted. The agreement also stated that after April 30, a new set of conditions would be agreed upon with the farmers.

Activists reported to Radio Dabanga that the road continues to be closed at several points in Northern State, amid fears that the authorities will break up the barricades using force.

The authorities earlier tore down barricades near the Hafir Mashho and Kubri El Hamdab.

Since January 9, farmers and members of Resistance Committees in Northern State have continued to close the Sheryan El Shimal (Artery of the North) road in El Borgeig, Abri, and other points, to protest the military coup of October 25 and to demand the abolition of the new electricity tariff.

Last year, the Ministry of Finance planned a significant increase in electricity prices for 2022, as it decided to continue with lifting subsidies on consumer goods, in order to meet the demands of the World Bank. In early January 2021, the power tariffs already increased by 500 per cent.