Protests erupt in northern Sudan over power cuts

Hundreds of residents in Wadi Halfa, Northern State, have blocked all major entrances to the town, preventing trucks from passing, in protest against scheduled power outages.

The demonstrations, which began yesterday, have caused significant disruption, with witnesses reporting hundreds of trucks backed up at various crossings. Protesters have meanwhile said that they are allowing travel buses and private vehicles to pass.

The protests escalated this afternoon with residents marching through the town. Locals told Radio Dabanga that the planned power cuts, which started on Monday, have led to disruptions in water supply and forced bakeries to shut down.

Residents of Wadi Halfa believe that electricity generated from Egypt’s High Dam is their inherent right, given that the town was submerged in 1964 for the dam’s construction.

Protesters are demanding an end to scheduled power cuts in Wadi Halfa, arguing that uninterrupted electricity from the High Dam is their basic right. They also called for Wadi Halfa to be administratively separated from Northern State, accusing state authorities of infringing upon the rights of residents.

Additionally, demonstrators are demanding that authorities complete agricultural land registration for farmer groups and allocate revenues from the region’s resources directly to local development and services. They claim both state and central governments have encroached upon these revenues, which has marginalised the region over time.

Protesters have vowed to continue escalating their actions “using all available options, whatever the cost, until all demands are met.”