Sudan’s plans to ‘lift subsidies’ meet fierce resistance
Kamal Omar, the media official for the National Consensus Forces (NCF) has described the Khartoum regime as “corrupt and tyrannical”, stressing that “the primary goal of lifting the subsidies on fuel and other basic commodities is to finance the wars of the Khartoum regime in Darfur, the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile state”. The NCF official vowed that “the regime will face massive demonstrations which would eradicate the regime from its roots in case it dares to raise fuel prices”. In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Omar pointed to the fact that the commodities from which the regime plans to “lift the subsidies”, are in fact unsubsidised, adding that “the already impoverished Sudanese citizens cannot bear more hardships anymore. The NCF therefore considers any increase in fuel prices a red line.” Omar called on the Sudanese people to get ready to go out to the streets to topple the regime, describing it as “corrupt and tyrannical”. He stressed that the NCF will be in the forefront of the protests. Dr Ahmed Mohamed Hamed, Professor of Economics at the Alahliya University of Omdurman, confirmed that government subsidies on fuel, sugar or electricity do not exist. He revealed that “the regime gains SDG12 ($2.70) on a gallon of petrol, SDG7 ($1.58) per gallon of diesel, let alone other derivatives such as aircraft fuel and kerosene.”He stressed that “the cost of one kilowatt of electricity is 10 piasters while it is sold to the citizens at the amount of SDG15 ($3.38) and that the price of 1kg of sugar, sold to the citizen at SDG6 ($1.35) equals twice the world price”. File photo: Transport in Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related: South Darfur imposes price limit on fuel (16 August 2013)
Kamal Omar, the media official for the National Consensus Forces (NCF) has described the Khartoum regime as “corrupt and tyrannical”, stressing that “the primary goal of lifting the subsidies on fuel and other basic commodities is to finance the wars of the Khartoum regime in Darfur, the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile state”.
The NCF official vowed that “the regime will face massive demonstrations which would eradicate the regime from its roots in case it dares to raise fuel prices”.
In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Omar pointed to the fact that the commodities from which the regime plans to “lift the subsidies”, are in fact unsubsidised, adding that “the already impoverished Sudanese citizens cannot bear more hardships anymore. The NCF therefore considers any increase in fuel prices a red line.”
Omar called on the Sudanese people to get ready to go out to the streets to topple the regime, describing it as “corrupt and tyrannical”. He stressed that the NCF will be in the forefront of the protests.
Dr Ahmed Mohamed Hamed, Professor of Economics at the Alahliya University of Omdurman, confirmed that government subsidies on fuel, sugar or electricity do not exist. He revealed that “the regime gains SDG12 ($2.70) on a gallon of petrol, SDG7 ($1.58) per gallon of diesel, let alone other derivatives such as aircraft fuel and kerosene.”
He stressed that “the cost of one kilowatt of electricity is 10 piasters while it is sold to the citizens at the amount of SDG15 ($3.38) and that the price of 1kg of sugar, sold to the citizen at SDG6 ($1.35) equals twice the world price”.
File photo: Transport in Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid)
Related: South Darfur imposes price limit on fuel (16 August 2013)
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