Eastern Sudan Protesters Plan to Close Oil Terminal Again

October 4, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Supreme Council of Beja Chiefdoms is preparing to declare civil disobedience in the cities of Port Sudan, Kassala and Gadaref because the government continues to ignore their demands, a leading member said on Monday.

Since 17 September, supporters of the Handawa tribal leader Mohamed Turk have closed Red Sea ports and blocked roads linking the eastern Sudan region with the rest of the country calling to cancel a peace agreement related to the area signed in October 2020.

"We are now going to escalate our actions and close the government establishments including the northern seaport and the customs administration. Also, we will declare civil disobedience in the three eastern cities, " told the Sudan Tribune Abdallah Obshar, Rapporteur of the Supreme Council of Beja Chiefdoms.

Obshar pointed out that the sit-in continues outside the oil terminal of Bashayer Port, which is used to export South Sudan’s oil.

"The terminal can be closed at any time," he further warned.

Last week, the protesters agreed to cease obstructing the exportation of South Sudanese oil after a meeting with a government delegation, led by a member of the Sovereign Council, Shams al-Din al-Kabbashi.

The government delegation said it made proposals to end the crisis to the leader of the Hadandawa tribe, who asked him to give him a week to consult with his partners.

But Obshar said that the government delegation did not propose any solutions, but rather listened to their position on how to solve the crisis, and requested a week’s time to study it with the government.

He added they plan to launch civil disobedience and close the Bashaer terminal after the end of the deadline requested by the government delegation.

The tribal leader last month said they wants the cancellation of the eastern Sudan peace deal, the resignation of the Hamdok government and the military takeover of government.

The head of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front and member of the Sovereign Council Hadi Idris rejected any attempt to cancel the eastern Sudan deal which is part of the Juba peace agreement.

Idris on Sunday state that the deal provides to hold a conference for all the people of the region, so the tribal leader and his supporters can come to discuss their demands for the region.

The government on Sunday called on the protesters to engage in dialogue to reach a political solution for the eastern Sudan problem.

Also, it said that the country is about to run out of essential medicine, fuel and wheat after the closure of Port Sudan.

(ST)