♦ This week’s news in brief ♦
A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan’s highlights of the news from Darfur and Sudan
A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan's highlights of the news from Darfur and Sudan
♦ Protests erupt in Sudan cities as medicine prices increase
November 21 – 2016 KHARTOUM / KASSALA / PORT SUDAN Dozens of young people demonstrated against the sky-rocketing prices in Sudan this week. Three brothers have committed suicide as their family could not afford to buy their medicines anymore following the austerity measures, Sudanese newspapers reported on Sunday. According to economists, the Central Bank cannot gain control over the plummeting rate of the Sudanese Pound, estimating that 65-70 per cent of the Sudanese now live below the poverty line.
More than 400 pharmacies collectively did not open their doors on Saturday in protest against the doubling of prices. In early November, the Minister of Finance announced the liberalisation of fuel prices and hard currency rates in the country. Combined with the ongoing shortages of hard currency at the Central Bank of Sudan, that continues to push the black market rate of the US Dollar upwards, this has affected the prices of medicines and wheat. Economist Mohamed El Fateh and other economic experts predicted that the state budget for 2017 will collapse soon as prices will continue to rise.
Last Sunday and Monday, police and security personnel dispersed protesters against the austerity measures, mainly women, with tear gas and batons in Khartoum, Port Sudan, and Kassala cities.
♦ Eight killed in new clash in South Darfur, more teachers detained
November 18 – 2016 GIREIDA At least eight people were killed, while others have gone missing during clashes between farmers and herdsmen in Gireida locality, South Darfur, last Wednesday night. A public demonstration against the violence was dispersed by security forces.
A group of armed herders attempted to enter their camels and livestock by force onto the farms at Joghana, south of Gireida. Farmers confronted them, which resulted in a clash in which one of the herdsmen was killed and others were wounded.
Meanwhile a team of the South Darfur government and the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (Unamid) visited Gireida to inspect the security situation on Monday. In meetings with the Masalit and Fellata tribe leaders, the chiefs reiterated their commitment to resolving disputes over grazing land peacefully, Unamid stated. Local authorities attempt to control the situation.
Last Thursday, herdsmen driving vehicles and riding horses and camels charged at Demiosei and killed eight people. “Dozens of people have gone missing during the attack,” a resident told Radio Dabanga. “The situation here remains tense.”
For the second time within a week, people in Joghana went out in a demonstration to condemn this incident. Members of the security service detained a number of protesters, a witness said, including three higher secondary school teachers. Other teachers were detained at an earlier demonstration against the repeated militia attacks in Joghana, reportedly because they are accused of organising the protest.
Other highlights from Radio Dabanga:
Rule of law project in Darfur by UN and Sudan
November 22 – 2016 KHARTOUM The United Nations, the Sudanese Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of International Cooperation launched a programme to strengthen rule of law institutions in Darfur and contribute to the protection….
Three teachers detained, summoned by Sudan's NISS
November 22 – 2016 KHARTOUM / EN NAHUD Members of the teachers' committee in Khartoum were summoned or detained by the security service on Monday after they demanded the working environment in schools to improve…
Port Sudan: Spread of 'deadly diarrhoea', journalist summoned
November 21 – 2016 PORT SUDAN People in Port Sudan have expressed concern about a diarrhoea epidemic in the city. On Sunday, security agents summoned a journalist for posting an article on Facebook about the spread…
‘We cannot fly back to Khartoum anymore’: Sudanese patients abroad
November 20 – 2016 CAIRO / AMMAN The soaring prices of airline ticketsprevent Sudanese fromtravelling abroad for medical treatment or studies. Since years, Sudanese patients who can afford it prefer to be treated…
Sudan: First conjoined twins separation imminent
November 18 – 2016 EL FASHER A conjoined twins has been delivered in Sudan, in the neonatal hospital in El Fasher, North Darfur. Preparations for the twins' separation are underway, a surgery that has never been done before in Sudan…
Darfuri refugees in Chad concerned about food rations, striking teachers
November 17 – 2016 DJABAL REFUGEE CAMP The residents of the Djabal refugee camp in eastern Chad havevoiced concern about new UN World Food Programme (WPF) food distribution plans. The camp’s school teachers…
More than 10 medics, 25 SCP leaders held incommunicado in Sudan
November 17 – 2016 KHARTOUM On Tuesday, a member of the Sudanese parliament demanded that the speaker summon the Minister of Justice concerning the continued detention of political activists without charges…
Policeman, herder slain in clash near North Darfur’s Tabit
November 17 – 2016 TABIT A police officer and a herder were killed in a clash south of Tabit in Tawila locality on Tuesday. On Wednesday, two farmers were kidnapped in the area. On Tuesday, a force of policemen…
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