Hundreds of farmers stage demonstrations in central Sudan
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May 10, 2011 (KHARTOUM) –Hundreds of farmers in El-Gezira state in
central Sudan staged demonstrations to reject what they described as
injustice inflicted upon them by the government in evaluating rental
price of land plots they own.
The protestors marched in Barakat town and set up tents in front of
the headquarters of the El-Gezira agricultural project and threatened
an extended sit-in until their demands are met. They chanted slogans
including "No for sale, Yes for rental" and "Your land is your honor".
The El-Gezira project, which includes over 2 million acres of land by
the Blue and White Nile rivers and employs 130,000 farmers, traces its
origins to British colonial times. It initially developed land for
cotton through a system of canals.
Among demands made by farmers is a reversal of the rental value
assessed by the governmental technical committee which was lowered
from 3,650 Sudanese pounds per acre to 1,585. They also refused to
sell their lands and threatened to bring their families to join their
protests,
The authorities arrested dozens of demonstrators and prevented
journalists from reaching the area.
Separately the office of Sudan’s 2nd Vice president Ali Osman Taha
denied reports that he has agreed to grant Egyptian farmers one
million acres during his meeting with a visiting Egypt delegation from
Al-Wafd party and other figures.
Taha’s office said that such a step has to be made through the proper
channels after working out the details.
(ST)
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