Two more anti-mine protestors detained in South Kordofan

The number of people detained following anti-mine demonstrations in Kologi in South Kordofan ten days ago has risen to four.

Witnesses confirmed to Radio Dabanga that two youths, Hussein Ali Saleh and Khalid Sambo, who ‘went missing’ after the protests are now known to be in prison in Kadugli.

Khalid Abdallah and Salim El Fadil were arrested in the week following the mass protests against mining companies operating in the region using cyanide. They stand accused of inciting the demonstration, during which hundreds of angry protesters burned the house of the commissioner of Kalogi and locality buildings, rejecting the activities of the gold mining companies which they accuse of using the toxic chemical cyanide, which can contaminate the environment and harm humans, animals and nature.

One person died and two were injured when police opened fire on the rioters.

State of Emergency

Last month the authorities in the state declared a State of Emergency. Sources in the area said that the curfew was imposed following the rejection by residents against the state's invitation to gold mining companies to operate in the area of Kologi. In particular the youth of Kologi protest the use of toxic materials in gold mining, and publicly expressed their fear for their health and the environment, a listener said.

Cyanidation, a technique for extracting gold from low-grade ore, is the most commonly used process for gold extraction. The process is controversial because of the highly toxic nature of cyanide.