Water price hike sparks protests in East Darfur

The workers at commercial water stations in El Ferdous and Bahr El Arab localities in East Darfur are on strike for the third consecutive day in protest against an increase in the price of drinking water announced by the state authorities three days ago. During the past two days, residents of the two localities took to the streets to protest against the hike. They accuse a number of state ministers and parliamentarians of being behind the price increases as “they are the ones who own the private water stations in East Darfur”. A water stations worker reported to Radio Dabanga that the workers have handed a memorandum to the President of the Legislative Council of East Darfur State and the Secretary of the State Government, in which they set two conditions to end their strike: cancellation of the new price increases and a restriction on the prices set by private water stations in accordance with the water stations of the state. When the increase was announced, the costs of a barrel of water went up from SDG3 ($0.67) to SDG8 ($1.80). The price for allowing a camel drink was raised from SDG0.70 to SDG2, a cow from SDG0.40 to SDG0.80, and a donkey from SDG0.20 to SDG0.60. File photo