Sudanese continue to suffer from scarcity of bread, fuel

People living in various parts of Sudan are complaining about a renewed wheat and fuel crisis since early last week. The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) has instructed the media not to report about the crisis.

“I passed five petrol stations without finding fuel,” a vehicle owner told Radio Dabanga from Wad Madani, capital of El Gezira state.

A bus driver reported that the transport in the city has come to a standstill. “bus tariffs have increased with 30 per cent because of the lack of fuel, however, the buses cannot not move because of the scarcity of fuel even on the black market.”

In White Nile State, the fuel allowed per vehicle has been restricted to one gallon for a private car and four gallons for a commercial vehicle. “Agents of the Economic Security are checking the sale at the petrol stations in the region,” a listener reported from Rabak.

Residents of Rabak and Kosti also reported the worsening of the bread crisis that began more than ten days ago.

“People are moving from bakery to bakery, only to get a limited number of pieces of bread,” one of them told Radio Dabanga on Friday. “Mousa El Sadig, the commissioner of Rabak locality, has now issued a decree ordering the bakeries to sell three loaves of bread for two Pounds.”

El Gedaref in eastern Sudan is experiencing a scarcity of wheat and fuel as well. The state government officially increased the bus tariffs with more than 30 percent. Since Thursday, most of the bakeries have stopped working because of the lack of flour.

Farmers in El Bargeeg in Northern State fear for the failure of the current agricultural season may fail because of the lack of fuel. They said that both traffic and mechanical work on the farms are suffering from “a complete paralysis” since Thursday.

On Thursday, petrol stations in Khartoum witnessed long queues for the third day in a row. On Tuesday and Wednesday, hundreds of people waited in vain for transport at bus stations in Omdurman, Khartoum North, and Khartoum.

A government source has contributed the scarcity of fuel to delays in shipments through Port Sudan.

NISS officers have warned the Sudanese media by telephone not to report about the scarcity of bread and fuel in the country.