Sudan fuel crisis, internet outage cause disruptions

Sudan fuel crisis, internet outage cause disruptions

The severe fuel shortage that is impacting transport, agriculture, utilities, services, and commodity prices across Sudan, continues to cause disruptions in several states.

The disruption of Sudani internet network in Abu Jubeiha in South Kordofan has prevented any financial transactions by banks since Sunday.

Banks closed

A bank employee told Radio Dabanga that as a result of the disruption, the banks in Abu Jubeiha have been suspended from Sunday until Tuesday.

He said that the stalling of the financial transactions of banks has affected all commercial activity in the town.

Water shortage

Sodari in North Kordofan and border towns in North and West Kordofan have been suffering from severe thirst as a result of a lack of the shut-down of the water pumping engines since the beginning of the fuel crisis a month ago.

The price of a gallon of petrol has amounted to SDG 600 (*$21.30) and a gallon of diesel SDG 300 ($10.66)

Mohamed Teirab of the leadership of the Sudanese Congress Party told Radio Dabanga from Sodari that “The water crisis has intensified in those areas two weeks ago where thirst caused death of livestock, especially sheep amid occurrence of severe conflicts at the water resources.

The price of a barrel of water has amounted to SDG 40 ($1.42) in Abu Zabad in West Kordofan.

Power cuts

The electricity supply has been reduced to two hours instead of five hours due to lack of fuel.

The fuel crisis caused shortages of medicines in various localities in El Gedaref state.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that medicine vehicles and medical supplies were unable to provide the women of the locality with medicines due to lack of fuel for a week.

They warned that the health situation in the localities would worsen in the event the medicine crisis persists.

They reported the long lines of vehicles in front of fuel stations on Tuesday.

Kassala

In Kassala, the authorities’ decision not to provide fuel for travel buses until the passengers get on board has led to exacerbation of the suffering of the passengers.

Residents from Kassala have complained to Radio Dabanga that they had been delayed in the bus trip to Aroma and asked the authorities to immediately cancel the decision.

Ed Damazin

The southern and northern districts of Ed Damazin have seen a severe drinking water crisis as a result of the non-operation of some water stations in the town due to lack of fuel.

Residents told Radio Dabanga that the northern districts of Arkawit, Banat, El Nasir and El Hijra and El Zuhour in southern Ed Damazin have been suffering from severe thirst for two weeks due to lack of fuel which caused disruption of some water pumps.

Residents of Aroma in eastern Sudan have complained of three days of power cuts and the continued fuel crisis.

Ahmed Dirar said in an interview with Radio Dabanga that the continuous interruption of electricity and the lack of fuel have led to complete paralysis in the city.

Ali El Atta, a member of the National Assembly, said the diesel crisis has led to serious losses to farmers in the garden sector in Kassala state amounting to SDG 11 billion (*$390 million).

He added that the total cultivated area is about 10,000 acres, including 7,000 acres of fodder, and 3,000 acres of vegetables.

He said the garden sector needs additional quantities to ensure continued productivity.

Press ban

The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) has forbidden newspapers in Sudan from publishing any material related to the fuel crisis.

The NISS ban includes writing about protests and demonstrations or “negatively writing about goods”.

In a directive to the editors of newspapers, the NISS called on them not to cover the crisis, but “to be satisfied with the official statements issued by the government on these topics”.

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