Two Sudanese dam activists arrested

The Sudanese security service arrested activists who oppose the establishment of dam projects in Halfa locality in Sudan's Northern state on Saturday and again on Monday.

A member of the Nubian association that resists the construction of the Dal dam in the area of Abri in Halfa locality, Nizar Yousif Saboun, told Radio Dabanga that the security service holds Hussein Abdu Hussein, the secretary of Sasab club, in custody under the pretext of allowing residents of the area to hold a symposium in his club. The symposium concerned the harm that the construction of the dams causes, and discussed the waste from the gold mining industry in the Northern State.

“The security forces arrested Hussein on Saturday after the symposium, and later released him. He was re-arrested on Monday,” Saboun said.

Activist Ahmed Saleh Makkawy was detained when he visited Hussein in the premises of the security authorities on Monday.

In March this year, a club in Wadi Halfa was shut down for hosting a similar symposium.

The government agreed to construct the Kajbar, Dal, and El Shireik dams at cataracts of the Nile in northern Sudan after passing a framework agreement with Saudi Arabia on 19 January, which has committed to inject millions for the construction. The plans, to be completed with Saudi Arabian funding, sparked protests by the Nubian people.

The Association of Nubians warned that the construction of the two dams will obliterate more than 7,000 years of Nubian civilisation, and called for a large campaign against the dams in Sudan and abroad. Several Nubians in northern Sudan have warned of the transformation of the region into ‘another Darfur’ if the government continues with the construction of the dams.

According to International Rivers the Kajbar Dam will displace more than 10,000 people and submerge an estimated 500 archaeological sites. The Dal Dam, on the second cataract, will displace at least 5,000 people.

Related:

Five anti-dam activists detained in Wad Halfa, Sudan (17 March 2016)

Eastern-Sudan dam displaced still await compensation (17 March 2016)