Sudan stands firm on fuel price hike despite riots

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 29, 2013 4:17PM GMT

The government of Sudan has vowed to stand firm on its decision to hike fuel prices despite days of deadly public protests and criticism from within the ruling party and other groups.

Sudanese Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman says the government knows that unrest will accrue if the cost of fuel goes up, but the reduction of subsidies saves billions of dollars.

Since pump prices rose last Monday, Sudan has been the scene of violence and deadly protests.

Anti-government protests first erupted over fuel price hikes and the government's slashing of fuel and cooking gas subsidies. As the government tried to break up the rallies in the south of Khartoum, they spread to other parts of the country including Nyala, the capital of the restive state of South Darfur.

The Sudanese government is trying to restore peace to violence-hit regions.

Human rights groups say security forces have killed at least 50 people but the government puts the death toll at 33 and blames unknown gunmen for the killings.

The information minister has however defended the security crackdown on protesters, saying that authorities had to intervene when crowds turned violent.

'This is not (a) demonstration,' he said, adding 'They attacked the gas stations. They burned about 21.'

Meanwhile, al-Intibaha newspaper -- a regular critic of cutting fuel subsidies -- has been ordered to stop publishing.

The violence and political uncertainty come after Sudan lost billions of dollars in oil revenues after South Sudan gained independence two years ago, taking with it some 75 percent of crude oil production of the formerly united country. The country has been plagued by running inflation and a weakening currency since then.

JR/PR/SS