Did the humanitarian aid reach the inhabitants of Tokar who deserved it????? ✍️ Muhammad Othman Al-Radi
The flooding of the Barka River, which has its source on the Eritrean plateau and irrigates the Tokar Delta agricultural project, has caused serious damage to human lives and property.
Following this flood, 32 citizens moved to the Rabbo neighborhood and hundreds of houses were destroyed, totally or partially.
I had the honor of visiting the town of Tokar after the disaster struck twice, the first time in the company of the Secretary General of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, Ms. Aida Al-Sayed Abdullah, and its team of specialized department directors. For the first time in the history of the Society, a high-level delegation from the Society has set foot in a city in Sudan.
The second time, I was accompanied by the Director of the Civil Defense Force, Police Lieutenant General Dr. Othman Atta Mustafa, as well as Salama's staff, officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the civil defense. It was the first time that Tokar arrived. Under the leadership of the rank of lieutenant general, the delegation carried sterilization and disinfection tools to spray the city against disease vectors, flies and mosquitoes, in addition to providing in-kind support intended for the Tokar hospital .
The absence of the Executive Director of Tokar locality, Mr. Salah Al-Sharif, during the entire duration of my visits to Tokar town, despite the directives of the Governor of the Red Sea State, Lt. General Mustafa Mohamed Nour, regarding the presence of the executive directors in their localities, especially since the responsibilities of the executive director of the locality of Tokar doubled after the disaster, but he preferred a continuous presence in the city of Port Sudan, I don't know what the reasons are.
The failure of the executive director of the locality of Toker, Salah Al-Sharif, to implement the governor's directives to remain in his locality under these circumstances opens the door wide to questions and investigations.
Instructions have been issued by the executive director of Tokar locality to store food supplies for the affected people in buildings in the new town of Tokar, located approximately 25 kilometers away. These foodstuffs could be damaged due to improper storage.
Those responsible for the irrigation plan who caused this disaster and who contributed to the flooding of the town of Tokar must be held accountable today before tomorrow so that they can serve as a warning and a lesson to others.
There are no statistics or precise figures on the number of people affected, their classification and the estimation of their nutritional and therapeutic needs. It is therefore impossible to directly provide the required humanitarian aid to those who deserve it.
Tokar Hospital cannot be called a hospital because it does not conform to the known specifications and standards for establishing hospitals and does not have the required medical staff. Therefore, urgent solutions must be found to provide medicines and train staff, and if necessary, appoint staff. sons of Tokar and most of them and their understanding to fill the serious shortage with the aim of providing integrated services that take into account the status and dignity of the human being.
The extent of the great destruction which hit the road linking the town of Tokar to the town of Port Sudan following the torrents which swept away large parts of it, making traffic difficult.
Coordination is completely lacking between the Centenary Emergency Committee, led by Committee Chairman Habab Superintendent General Nazir Kantibay Hamid Hussein, and the Committee of 10, formed by Sovereignty Council Chairman Lt. General Abdel Fattah. Al-Burhan, during his visit to the city after the disaster.
I was not enthusiastic about accompanying the convoy of the Beni Amer and Al-Habab association in Kassala State, led by the young Mukhtar Hussein, to visit the town of Tokar. I was proud to accompany the convoy of the Tokar Sud association to the town of Tokar. The University of Kassala and the Hakim Organization, led by the general supervisor of Beni Amer Ali Ibrahim Dakal, due to many considerations that I do not wish to address now, and will devote another space to them later.
The discord and quarrels between the enthusiastic youth and the Tokar leaders and symbols of the (old guard) who claim to be the people of each government have seriously harmed the person of Tokar and paid the bill for this conflict between the two groups , the simple person of Tokar who has neither power nor support.
The Emergency Committee, led by Nazir Al-Habbab, does not want to distribute food due to its scarcity and insufficient capacity for all those affected. They are waiting for more to be distributed to everyone who needs them without sorting. a rational decision, but it must be taken into account that improper storage can spoil all these materials, so they must be presented in order of priority (the most necessary, then the most necessary).
This disaster, with all its bitterness, has passed and been overcome, but what lessons can we learn from it? Certainly, this question requires thinking outside the box, away from strong emotions and feelings, and returning to the beautiful story of Tokar, as these are days that have passed and become history.
The Tokar Delta Agricultural Project was established in 1867, during the era of Turkish colonialism, as the first project to grow cotton, the main cash crop in Sudan. Unfortunately, 70% of the project area, or 406,000 acres, is completely covered. by the mesquite, which hindered its progress. Although there are modern ways to combat this tree, the project has not received much attention.
It is necessary to appoint a general director of the Tokar Delta Agricultural Foundation who is qualified and experienced, and who is endowed with sufficient powers to advance this project which is succumbing under the fire of marginalization and its affiliation. has not been decided. Is this a state project affiliated with the Red Sea State Ministry of Agriculture, or a national project affiliated with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture?
Following the publication of a decision to dissolve the federations and unions, the farmers' union of the Tokar agricultural project no longer has a place, and anyone who speaks on behalf of this illegal union must be held accountable and not be prosecuted because of its illegality.
Tokar is a national city and belongs to all Sudanese people. Every Sudanese citizen has the right to live there, dear and honorable, enjoying all the rights and duties as before. The only criterion is that you are Tokar, whatever your tribal origin. or political affiliation (Tokar is for everyone).
