Sudan police disperse protests with tear gas

Sudanese police dispersed demonstrations in the capital using tear gas as dozens demonstrated in front of the cabinet office in Khartoum and the parliament in Omdurman yesterday denouncing poor living conditions and the continuous interruption of electricity and water. The protestors blocked a number of main roads and set fire to tyres. In El Fasher, a youth was allegedly shot by police as protesting students broke down the fence of the North Darfur governor’s residence.

In eastern Sudan, workers at the Port Sudan Maritime Ports Authority continued their strike on Sunday for the second consecutive day, demanding financial dues. The strike stopped all movement in the port after all the gates were blocked with empty containers.

The workers pledged to end the strike when all their demands related to financial dues are met. They said that the governor of the state has responded to their demands related to the Ramadan and Eid scholarships, however, other demands have not yet been met.

Protests

In North Kordofan, farmers from the area of El Sagi began a sit-in in Bara, protesting against the lack of water and demanding the provision of fuel to their farms.

Tarig Ali, one of the protestors, told Radio Dabanga that their crops and vegetables in have been damaged and that fuel was becoming unaffordable. He complained that that they received the last share of subsidised fuel last March. He pointed to the great losses that farmers have suffered and that most of them are threatened with imprisonment because of their failure to pay debts.

The people of Buram, South Darfur, organised a protest in front of the Council of Ministers on Sunday for the third consecutive week, demanding security and services. The participants called for the dismissal of the security committee due to the continuing security breakdowns and robberies. In addition to issues related to health services, electricity and water, they were protesting against mining conditions and the use of toxic materials in mining.

They also called for the completion of the Nyala-Gereida road, the dismissal of remnants of defunct regime and the dismissal of the director of the Water Authority.

Student injured in El Fasher

In the North Darfur capital of El Fasher, two students were injured following violent demonstrations against a five day power outage, continuing water crisis, and general poor living conditions.

The wali (governor), Mohamed Arabi, announced the suspension of studies in all academic stages in El Fasher for an indefinite period due to what he described as ‘‘subversive events’’. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the mass demonstrators moved from various schools to the governor’s house to demand a solution to the crisis.

They said that the demonstrators broke down the fence of the governor’s house and that the police fired tear gas and live bullets to disperse the demonstrators, which led to the injury of a student who was shot in the stomach. The student has since had surgery. The sources also say that six members of the armed forces and two students were injured during the demonstrations.