The National Experts Group submits a protest note to the Italian Embassy against the company executing the Renaissance Dam and threatens to sue
Brown Land
Khartoum — The group of national experts against the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam organized a protest in front of the Italian embassy in Khartoum yesterday, in which it denounced the Italian company Salini’s continuation of its work in the construction of the dam, despite the absence of a recognized study confirming the safety of the dam.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Mufti, a legal expert, a member of the group, confirmed when addressing the pose after handing the memorandum to the Italian embassy that they demand the Salini Company to immediately stop its work in the Renaissance Dam, because the safety of the dam is incomplete, as stipulated in the second paragraph of Principle No. 8 of the Declaration of Principles of Renaissance Dam for the year 2015 AD, and therefore it is threatened with collapse, which threatens the lives of about 20 million Sudanese residents. He pointed out that half of the population of Sudan lives around the Blue Nile and the Nile River. He said that if the company does not respond, they will go to sue it before all international courts. He said that they know about other companies, and they will also have to. Take legal responsibility.
Al-Mufti explained that the dam lacks studies of economic, environmental, and social impacts, which causes serious damage to citizens, even in the event of its failure, and there are no studies or plans for emergency preparedness or plans for disaster management, and it is assumed that the company will not build a dam that lacks the necessary studies from parties internationally recognized.
Al-Mufti also stressed that the second filling, which is done by Ethiopia’s unilateral will, is a clear violation of international law and the 1902 Convention, and will make it continue to impose its will, and push the company to more construction work, which causes severe damage to the Sudanese citizens, in the biggest violation of their rights, that amounts to a crime of genocide…
Al-Mufti said, “We are certain that the Italian government cannot stand idly by when it sees one of the companies registered in Italy, exposing millions of people to drowning, or utter damage.”
The Mufti said that they appeal to all affected citizens along the Nile strip to protest and make their voice heard. He said we are a national voluntary group that has nothing to do with the government and the government must play its role with the Ethiopian government.
For his part, Engineer Haider Youssef, an expert on water and dams, confirmed that they knocked on all government doors and failed to meet the officials. He explained that they are a national group concerned with the interest of the Sudanese people, pointing out that proceeding with the construction of the dam and unilateral filling will cause a major disaster and called for more international and regional pressure on Addis Ababa.
In turn, the Italian embassy expressed its understanding and received the note, and promised to respond to it.
