Soudan : Dalgo Al Mahas Demands the Right to Electricity

Between June 29 and July 1, 2013 residents of Dalgo Al Mahas in the Nubain region of the Northern Provinces of Sudan gathered in large numbers and protested the decision of the head of the dam administration, Osama Abdulla to deny them the right to electricity that has been promised to some of the Nubain areas following the construction of Meroe dam.

Since Halfa, which is north of Dalgo, was starting to receive electricity services residents of Dalgo who spoke to GIRIFNA declared that this decision was political and that they were being punished for resisting the construction of the Kajbar dam.

On June 29 at 2 a.m. the National Intelligence Security Services (NISS) started an arrest campaign targeting the leadership behind the protests that had started the week before. Residents reported that armed NISS and police used tear gas inside most of the houses ; terrorizing women and children and causing cases of induced suffocation.

Those arrested were released on July 1 and included the following :

1. Seraj Khalil (a lawyer) ;

2. Osman Ibrahim (head of the Kajbar Dam Committee) ;

3. Bakri Saeed Himet ;

4. Ehab Nasr Farah ;

5. Amro Mohammad Fageer ;

6. Basheer Abdul Mutalib ; and

7. Mohammad Saeed Yagoob.

Moreover, the Sheikh of Dalgo, Haj Ahmad Farah, who is 80 years old was arrested on June 29 and released on the same day. On Sunday, June 30 six protesters were arrested, beaten and released the following day. Two cases of serious injury resulting from the violent reaction of the police were reported as follows :

1. Nizar Abdul Aziz : was injured by a tear gaz canister that hit his head ; and received 6 stitches as a result.

2. Bassem Shamat : also has an injury to his head as a result of being beaten during his arrest.

Today, July 2, residents of the area told GIRIFNA that the government was starting to respond to pressure and has started delivering the equipment required to connect the area with the national electricity grid.

Source from http://www.girifna.com