Fuel crisis protest in capital of Sudan’s El Gezira

Hundreds of residents took to the streets of the Geziratelfil district of Wad Madani, capital of El Gezira, on Tuesday evening to demonstrate in protest against the fuel crisis, rise of prices and lack of basic commodities. Cattle are dying of thirst in White Nile state.

One demonstrator told Radio Dabanga that the protestors moved around the district carrying banners demanding the departure of the regime and denouncing the crises and the hike of prices.

He explained that the opposition forces in Wad Madani launched a campaign by formulation of statements, formation of committees of resistance in the districts, and writing slogans on the walls denouncing the situation.

Rabak in the White Nile state is suffering from a severe water crisis and power cuts and ongoing fuel crisis.

Abdelrahman El Siddig told Radio Dabanga from Rabak that “The fuel crisis has led to a doubling of transportation and transportation tariffs”.

He said that the price of a barrel of water has risen to SDG 60 (*$2.13)

He explained that livestock owners are forced to water their livestock far away because of the lack of water in the town.

He pointed out that the town has been witnessing continuous power cuts for ten days.

He said that the fuel crisis has led to rise of flour prices in the mills.

Cattle dying of thirst

Dozens of cattle at Sata area have died because of lack of diesel for the only tanker that supplies drinking water to the area.

Abuareish village in El Jeili locality in White Nile State is witnessing a total lack of drinking water because of the lack of fuel for water tankers where the price of a barrel of water in the village and neighbouring villages has ranged between SDG 40 ($1.42) – SDG 60 ($2.13) during the past days.

Farmers of El Bargeeg and El Dafufa projects in the Northern State have complained about the delay in wheat harvest because of the fuel crisis and the lack of harvesting machineries which is threatening the winter season with failure.

Farmers told Radio Dabanga “The winter season for growing groundnuts and wheat has been faltering since its inception because of the fuel crisis, lack of fertilizers and programmed cuts of electricity”.

They explained that the crises has led to the delay of planting groundnuts and wheat in the winter season because of the stop of agricultural machineries from work and stop water pumps in the two projects in addition to the lack of fertilizer.

He said that a number of farmers had to grow beans and wheat without using fertilizers.

He said that a number of farmers stopped the irrigation because of the lack of water pumps in their farms.

Farmers expressed serious concern over the failure of the harvest operations, the low productivity of groundnuts and wheat due to successive crises.

* Based on the indicative US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan