Sudan vows not to use excessive force against protests over fuel subsidies

The Sudanese government on Tuesday pledged not to use excessive force against protests across the country against a government step of increasing fuel prices. "The government will deal with the citizens in a civilized manner and will not use excessive force against the protests," local media on Tuesday quoted Ahmed Bilal Osman, the Sudanese information minister and government spokesman, as saying. Bilal accused the Sudanese opposition of trying to exploit the demonstrations, saying "the opposition is trying to exploit the situation, but the government will not allow any features of disorder or sabotage of public and private properties. We do not want sabotage demonstrations." However, and despite the minister's statements, local Sudanese media on Tuesday reported that one person was killed on Monday in protests in Medani, capital of Gezira State in central Sudan, some 187 km south of Khartoum. Khartoum's Al-Sudani daily said a young man was killed in Medani protests, quoting Sudanese Police Spokesman Ahmed Omer as saying that "a person, driving a vehicle, shot a young man dead and the police is investigating the matter." Meanwhile, eyewitnesses said limited demonstrations broke out at Al-Thawara area in Omdurman city, west of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, against fuel price hike; and that the police used tear gas to disperse the protesters. The Sudanese opposition forces, in the meantime, criticized Khartoum's decision to increase the fuel prices. An alliance of around 20 opposition parties issued a statement in which they expressed their rejection of the recent economic measures. It said that the recent measure would have disastrous impact on the living conditions of the citizens. The Sudanese government on Monday announced an increase in the fuel prices as part of a package of economic reforms aiming at reviving the country's economy. The price for a gallon of gasoline increased to 13.9 Sudanese pounds (about 3.2 U.S. dollars) from 8.5 pounds (2 dollars), while the price of cooking gas is up by 8 pounds (1.84 dollars) to 25 pounds (5.8 dollars), according to a release by the Sudanese Petroleum Corporation distributed to the gas stations on Monday. On Sunday, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir defended the economic reforms, which include removal of fuel subsidies, saying they were necessary to revive the economy. "There have to be measures to help reform the Sudanese economy after losing two thirds of our oil resources due to separation of South Sudan," al-Bashir said at a press conference held in Khartoum on Sunday. He further stressed that the fuel subsidy is a threat to the economy given the rising inflation rate and deterioration of the currency. The Sudanese government said, following the separation of South Sudan, it purchases the oil share of the oil companies based on the international price which is more than 100 dollars per barrel and it sells it to the citizen at around 49 dollars. The government's support does not help the poor but benefits the rich people, the general and private institutions and foreign organizations, it said. Meanwhile, coinciding with the increase of the fuel prices, the exchange price of the Sudanese pound against the dollar reached 8. 2 pounds at the parallel market, while the government increased the official exchange rate to 5.6 pounds for the dollar.