The Impact of Merowe dam on real estate activities in Nile and

The Impact of Merowe dam on real estate activities in Nile and

Dept of Real Estate and Construction Management
Div of Building and Real Estate Economics
Master of Science Thesis no. 392
The Impact of Merowe dam on real estate activities
in Nile and Northern states of Sudan
Author
Osama Sayed
Supervisor
Hans Lind
Stockholm 2007
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Master of Science thesis
Title:
Author
Department
Master Thesis number
Supervisor
Keywords
The Impact of Merowe dam on real estate
activities in Nile and Northern states of Sudan
Osama Sayed
Department of Real Estate and Construction
Management
Division of Building and Real Estate
Economics
392
Hans Lind
Sudan, dam, resettlement, compensation.
Abstract
Concerning the real estate activity in the Sudan, I tried to find out the impact of construction
of Merowe dam on the real estate activities on the area around the dam .Studying the tangible
and intangible changes that appeared inside the cities around the area of the dam ( Merowe
and Karima) concerning the whole real estate activities ( rent, sell ,buying,…) before and after
the construction of the dam .I studied also the whole situation in the new resettlement areas
after the construction of the dam ( new alhamdab and ,New Amri) comparing to the old areas
before the construction of the dam trying to find out the advantage and disadvantage in the
both areas.
Based on the findings from this study, it is appropriate to take some measures into
consideration in order to avert the any unforeseeable circumstances that may be brought about
as a result of the problem under consideration. In the first place, it is of great importance to
involve the target population in all phases of the project to let them feel the change gradually
and to accept their new reality. It is also recommended that proposed choices for corporate
internal and external companies for the service of the population and environment in relation
to specification and collaboration among others should be established or at least encouraged
among the local firms to strengthen their capacity.
Devising strict regulations in the future concerning real estate projects in aspects of planning
for water, electricity and sanitation, which should be updated and upgraded with global
development progression, is another way by which the problem could be solved. There is also
the need to reduce the high cost of real estate facilities in the Sudan regions in comparison
with the neighbouring countries in order to raise the Sudanese economy and thereby creating a
healthy environment for the inhabitants. It should strive to change the prevailing pattern of
real estate in the Sudan, which make it one of the most impoverished of he world in this area.
Above all, there is a need for the accurate planning in the developmental projects in relation to
feasibility and cost.
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Dedication
To my parents Sayed and Nafisa, my brothers Shawgi, Eihab, hafiz and sisters Amani and
Abeer.
To my dears Uncle Ahmed and, his wife Fatima.
And to my country Sudan, which I really hope it will find its way towards civilized real estate
environment.
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Acknowledgment
Many people have contributed to completion of my master thesis, I would like to express my
sincerest gratitude to all of them.
I’m indebted to my supervisor, Hans Lind. I greatly appreciate his support and guidance
through my research. All my respect to him.
Deep and special appreciation goes to Peter Brokking as he always had been there to present
any help at any time.
I also wish to express my thanks to Eng. Amar Alawad who paved the way for my first steps
towards this thesis.
Special thanks goes to Mawia M.Salih the Manager of Environmental Administration at the
Dam Implementation Unit and to his secretary Nasreen Ahmed,I would like to thank them as
well as all people whom I met during my trip to the Dam’s area and the new resettlement
areas, for facilitating my work there and whose interviews represented an important part of
this research.
No words seem to express my appreciation for dear friends Mahgoub Shora and Mona Adem
Negash for their support and patience during course period.
I also want to acknowledge those who assisted me to accomplish this work in one way or the
other Mohamed Hussam,Amani Abdel khalig,Fadya Shora,Shakir Mustafa and Hussam
Talballa.
Finally my greatest gratitude goes to restaurangassistance and its staff especially James and
Martin Their support was essential in completing this programm.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. - 7 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................. - 7 1.2 Objective of study.................................................................................................... - 7 1.3 Statement of the Problem ......................................................................................... - 7 1.4 Disposition............................................................................................................... - 8 2. Methodology ................................................................................................................ - 9 3. Merowe Dam.............................................................................................................. - 11 3.1 Sudan..................................................................................................................... - 11 3.2 Northern State........................................................................................................ - 11 3.3 River Nile State...................................................................................................... - 12 3.4 The Nile River ....................................................................................................... - 12 3.5 Merowe Dam ......................................................................................................... - 13 3.6 Previous studies for the dam .................................................................................. - 13 3.7 Objectives of the project ........................................................................................ - 14 3.8 The accompanying projects.................................................................................... - 15 3.9 Migration and displacement in Sudan..................................................................... - 17 4. Social cost benefit....................................................................................................... - 19 4.1 What is Social cost? ............................................................................................... - 19 4.2 How to measure social and cost benefits of public project...................................... - 19 4.3 Social cost Comparing to the Social benefits.......................................................... - 20 4.4 Costs benefit analysis and Time ............................................................................. - 20 4.5 Dams and social cost benefits................................................................................. - 20 4.6 World Commission on Dams ................................................................................. - 20 4.7 Resettlement and Social Cost Benefits ................................................................... - 21 4.8 Lessons learnt ........................................................................................................ - 21 4.9 Policy Goal ............................................................................................................ - 22 4.10 Policy objective ................................................................................................... - 22 5. Cities of Merowe and Karima ................................................................................... - 23 5.1 Merowe and Karima cities ..................................................................................... - 23 5.2 Population of the Locality ...................................................................................... - 23 5.3 Merowe and Karima, the reason of choosing.......................................................... - 23 5.4 Cities of Karima and Merowe before the dam ........................................................ - 23 5.5 Tangible changes that can be noticed after the construction of the dam .................. - 24 5.7 The sector of Transportation .................................................................................. - 25 6. Before construction of the dam ................................................................................. - 33 6.1 Alhamdab Old Areas.............................................................................................. - 33 6.2 Amri Old Areas...................................................................................................... - 35 6.3 Almanasir Old Areas.............................................................................................. - 35 6.4 Disadvantages of the old areas ............................................................................... - 36 -
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7. Progress of compensation .......................................................................................... - 37 7.1 The affected Area................................................................................................... - 37 7.2 Cost of resettlement ............................................................................................... - 38 7.3 The Restriction and the compensation.................................................................... - 38 7.4 Committee of restrict land and houses and planned ................................................ - 38 7.5 Housing restricting committee ............................................................................... - 38 7.6 Estimating the value of houses and compensation ................................................. - 39 7.7 Progress of the Resettlement .................................................................................. - 40 7.8 The Final arbitrators............................................................................................... - 41 7.9 Categories of the compensation.............................................................................. - 41 7.10 The Residential areas and shops ........................................................................... - 41 7.11 Determination of the categories of compensation for the houses and shops .......... - 42 7.12 Areas of Displacement ......................................................................................... - 42 8. Areas of resettlement (After the Dam)...................................................................... - 43 8.1 New Alhamdab ...................................................................................................... - 43 8.2 Almukabrab ........................................................................................................... - 49 8.3 The New Amri Project ........................................................................................... - 50 8.4 The sanitation system in the new resettlement areas ............................................... - 53 8.5 The advantages of the new areas ............................................................................ - 54 8.6 Disadvantages in Amri, and New Alhamdab .......................................................... - 55 9. Discussion................................................................................................................... - 57 9.1 Real Estate activity in the cities of Merowe and Karima......................................... - 57 9.2 Conclusion............................................................................................................. - 61 9.3 Lessons learnt ........................................................................................................ - 62 References ...................................................................................................................... - 64 -
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1. Introduction
1.1 Background
The Merowe dam project with a total cost of 2 billion USD is considered to be one of the
major developments project in Sudan. The dam is located on the Nile River, close to the 4th
cataract where the river divides into multiple smaller branches with large island in between.
The nearest city to the dam is Merowe, which is 350km north of Khartoum the capital of the
Sudan. The project has a multipurpose scheme with many targets, but my interest will be to
weight the extent to which the project has affected the Real estate activities in the Nile River
state, and Northern states, as those two states are location of the dam and its accompanying
project.
Although the project of the dam followed by creating a lake covering a huge area of land
extends to over than 180km, and a lot of people should leave their areas to new resettlements
areas, the purpose of my study is to focus specially on the architecture, trying to find out if
uniformity and better housing designs have been achieved with it is new amenities .Also, the
living spaces will be examined and opinions will be scanned to judge it is size and condition
as well as exchange terms. Lastly the environment will come in, with interest in development
projects like schools, drinking water networks, prayer grounds, office as well as company
space, hospitals, and roads.
The proposed study will check out the standards of the resettled people, the extent of which
they can accept that the project has been a catalyst in creating real estate activities, even in the
cities that are already around the area of the dam and it is accompanying projects.
1.2 Objective of study
The study aims at comparing the new housing supply and standards with the existing ones in
the area. The real estate commercial and office activities will be observed if there is a modern
design with amenities that leads to the attraction of other classes of activities. The research
will find out to what extend the new activities in the area have boasted the real estate market.
Other pertinent issues during the study will not be left out if the need and relation to real
estate activities is seen in them. Among the resettlements areas the major focus of this study
will go to the New El hamdab and the New Amri.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
The issue of resettlement is often the most difficult one, so it needs to be handled very
carefully. One has to take into account planners or developers, and real estate or housing
managers. I would like to emphasis whether these new development projects could be a model
for new developments or renovation of the old ones. My research questions will be how this
group of individuals has handled the following:
- Have family housing conditions improved compared to what they were previously?
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- Is the resettlement area built in such a way, so as to accommodate present as well as
future needs?
- Have the commercial real estate found better space?
- Has the city spatial distribution and amenities been made more attractive for people to
invest, and does it create new market?
- Has change in and around areas of the dam, and standards of living of the resettlement
people and new settlers affected the investment in real estate?
- Has the resettlement area has an impact on the need to make such investment else were in
the country?
- Does the market value reasonably reflect and match the values and conditions of the new
amenities and houses in the new resettlements?
1.4 Disposition
This master thesis is divided into 8 chapters contains details of it is title and some include
discussion. The first chapter opens up with general introduction of the background, problem
description, aims for the study and research methodology. The second chapter start with the
description of the location of the Dam (Sudan, and the location states in the Sudan),
background about the Dam, and the role of it, beside the Impact of the Dam and it is
accumulative projects in the surrounding area, and about previous immigrations in the Sudan.
Chapter three contains with more details about the method of Social Cost Benefits, and how it
is applied to cases of resettlement issues, from both international point of view (World Bank),
and regional point of view (African Bank, and Fund)
Chapter four gives background for the situation at the main two cities of Merowe and Karima
before and after the construction of the Dam. Chapter five provide a view for the situation in
the old areas before the construct of the dam, and before their immigrant to the new areas.
Chapter six provides readers with deep information about the progress of compensation for
the affected people. Chapter Seven provides readers with deep information about the changes
and the situation in the new resettlement areas after the construction of the Dam. Finally in
chapter Eight some final conclusion, and discussion, beside recommendations will be
presented.
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2. Methodology
The study has been conducted in the Nile river state where the dam is located 40 Km north of
Merowe and 27 Km north of Karima. For data collection we used the interview technique
with open ended questions. The interviewees have been chosen from different fields in order
to enrich the data by including diverse people. The main focus for our question was to
investigate the impact of the existence of the dam on both Merowe and Karima cities
concerning the real estates activities. Further, to compare standard of life, facilities and
services in old villages and new villages before and after existence of the dam were
investigated. To achieve our goal we interviewed people who are working in different sectors
such as local media, land management, hotel activities, local transportation, lawyer sector, and
real estates agencies and land registration management in Merowe city.
In the first part of the study we interviewed the head of the media administration at the
locality of Merowe city, which is responsible for directing the TV, radio and local newspapers
of Merowe locality. Through this interview we collected information on geographical
location, inhabitants and their main activities, and other information about the area around the
city. This interviewee played a role in clarifying basic information about the city. We
interviewed the manager of the Land management centre in Merowe. His main responsibilities
are supervision and management of the Land distribution and planning. Our main questions
were focused on the Lands distribution and whether there is increase in the demand of the
people towards lands before and after the dam construction. In addition, we asked about the
interest of the inhabitants in the recent projects for land distributions. We also interviewed a
hotel manager who has been involved in this business for about 20 years inside Merowe city.
We have chosen to interview him since the hotel activities could be one of the main
indications for the development of the cities. We asked him about the development of hotel
activity before and after the dam existence and its impact on the general activity of the hotel
and types of customers as well as manager’s future plans.
As well we interviewed local transportation agent in the market of Merowe city. We
questioned the influence on the transportations activities before and after the dam. We asked
about the change on the numbers of travels per day to and from the city, and the types of
trucks or busses that are used. We were also interested in the types of travellers whether they
are only local inhabitants or coming from other cities which may reflect the market activities.
We also interviewed a lawyer since the lawyer sector plays a key role in production and
authorization of all legal documents including real estate activities such as selling, buying,
and renting lands. Our questions were formulated in order to examine the effect of the dam on
the general production of legal documents.
We also visited a new established economy unit which mainly arranges business agreements
between supply and demand in the real estate activities concerning selling, buying, and
renting lands. We questioned the effect of the dam on prices of the lands in different areas of
the city.
Finally we visited the office manager of land registration in Merowe. The main activity for
this office is to register and document all lands and houses of the city with detailed prices. We
asked him about the change on the land prices with special focus on some specific areas in
relation to dam existence. In Karima city I interviewed people working on the same sectors as
in Merowe city except for media, hotel and transportation sectors.
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The second part of our study has been conducted in one of the old villages which called
Kalagali. Kalagali village is considered as a part of the Al-Hamadab old area which located on
the area close to the dam body. The population of this village has been investigated to decide
between remaining in their village and moving to the new resettlement villages. Kalagali is
distinguished by both old empty houses as well as old types of life activities for the people
who decided to stay. We interviewed one of the inhabitants who decided to stay asking about
the type of life on such old village, which represents other old villages. We also asked about
the reason behind his decision to stay while most of people decided to leave. He elaborated in
the type of life in the old areas.
In the third part of the study, we interviewed people live in the resettlement villages called
New Amri and New Al-Hamdab. We interviewed many people and our main questions were
about their experience of resettlement and the types of life in the new villages in comparison
with their old villages. We interviewed different people with different ages, education and
occupations. The questions were directed in order to extract their opinion on the type of life in
the old and new villages.
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3. Merowe Dam
3.1 Sudan
The republic of the Sudan is the largest African country, and the tenth largest country in the
world by area (2,505,813 km2) with a population estimated 36,992,490 (year 2006). The
country is situated at crossroads between the horn of Africa and the Middle East. It is boarded
by Egypt to the north, The Red Sea to the northeast. Eritrea and Ethiopia top the east, Kenya,
and Uganda to the southeast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African
Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, and Libya to the Northwest. (1)
Figure 1 Map of Sudan
3.2 Northern State
This is one of the 26 states of Sudan. It has an area of 348,765km and an estimated population
of approximately 600, 000 (year2000). Dongola is the capital of the state. (1)
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3.3 River Nile State
This state has an area of 122,123km and an estimated population of approximately 900,000
(year 2000). is the capital of the state. Slightly north of Aldamer is the important rail junction
town of Atbara. (1)
3.4 The Nile River
Figure 2 Nile Valley
The Nile River is on of the longest rivers in the world, located in north eastern Africa,
stretching for 6695 km (4160) miles from it is remotest head streaming Burundi to it is mouth
at the Mediterranean Sea, the river base covers an area of more than 3,349,000 sq km throw
countries of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi; Zaire, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt..
The Nile flows from south to north, and if formed by three major tributaries, the White Nile,
the Blue Nile, and Atbara river. The Blue Nile has it is sources (Tana lake) in the high lands
of Ethiopia. Atbara river has it is sources in the Ethiopian highlands. The White Nile has it is
sources in Victoria lake (2). Just north of Khartoum the combined White, and Blue Nile meet
their final major tributary, the Atbara. Before constructing the high dam in Egypt and
Merowe dam in Sudan, the Nile rolled through series of six rapids, called cataracts between
northern Sudan, and southern Egypt. Lake Nubian (Sudan boarder), or Nassir (Egyptian
boarder) is a man made created by construction of the high dam in Egypt, opened in 1971.
North of Cairo, the river splits into two branches. The Rasheed branch to the west and the
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Demiatte to the east. The average water recourses of Nile estimated in Aswan south of Egypt
with 84 billion m2 (3)
3.5 Merowe Dam
The Merowe Dam project is the largest hydropower project currently being developed in
Africa. The dam’s civil work is located at the fourth cataracts on the River Nile at Merowi
island where the river divides into multiple smaller branches with large island in between,
near Merowe city, about 350 km north of the capital Khartoum. The purpose of the dam is to
generate hydropower with an installed capacity of 1250 megawatts with ten turbines of 125
megawatts for each, comparing to the existing Sudan’s electricity generating capacity which is
very small .It consists of about 760 megawatts of thermal power, and about 320 megawatts of
hydropower capacity . The project is expected to be completed between 2007 and 2009.It
wills roughly double Sudan’s power generation capacity. The total cost of the project
including the resettlements area is budgeted to reach 2 billion dollars. In addition to the
Sudanese government, considerable contribution comes from the China Export Import Bank,
the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development Funds of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United
Arab Emirates, and the Sultanate of Oman. The area of the lake behind the dam is going to be
about 200 km2, which will make it as the second biggest industrial lake in the whole Africa. P
3.6 Previous studies for the dam
3.6.1 The 1946 study by Egyptian government:
There has been many feasibility studies done on the project in the past decades, the first one
were in 1946 conducted by the Egypt during the Egyptian-British Condominium in Sudan and
showed that Merowe area is the best location to establish as dam to protect the Egyptian lands
from floods and to sort the extra quantities of water and use it when the need arises during the
dry seasons. The need for electricity was not a strong motivate behind the dam idea at that
time. However building the high dam in Aswan southern of Egypt diverted the attention of the
Egyptian authorities from the idea of executing the Merowe project.
3.6.2 The 1979 study by consortium of consultants:
In 1979 a consortium of consultants which includes the renowned British consultant Sir
Alexander Jib conducted a study to develop the resources of the Nile water. They suggested
either establishing two smaller dams at the island of Merowi and Sheeri1 or building a bigger
one at Merowi Island.
3.6.3 The 1983-1986 study by the Swedish SWECO Company:
In 1983, the ministry of agriculture and the national electricity corporation signed an
agreement with the Swedish consultant SWECO to conduct a pre-feasibility study for the
Merowe dam, the main purpose of the study was to use the Nile section between Abuhamad
1
Two small islands near Merowe city.
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and Merowe to generate electricity, improve the irrigation of lands, improve the river
navigation and exploit the fish resources. The study conducted that the area as a whole is
difficult for agriculture, because it is mountainous, excess for small parts. This made the
power generation as the main purpose for establishing the dam.
3.6.4 The 1993 study by Canadian Monenco Agra:
The most recent studies were conducted by Monenco-Agra Company, Canada in 1993, and
their study put into consideration expectation of the future use of the Nile water and the
expected needs. The final study report came in five volumes that tackled the social,
economical, agriculture, environmental and fish issues. The study handled in depth the
geological studies related to sedimentation and suggested a construction plan, cost estimates,
electricity transmission system, and the process of resettling the affected population.
3.6.5 2001 Project Designs by the Russian Hydro-project Institute
In 1993 The Russian Hydro-project Institute carried out field exploration studies on the
proposed location of the dam. The studies included that the best location for the dam would be
on the Mirowe Island, and the final report included the design of the dam main body, and the
power station. (4)*(5)
3.7 Objectives of the project
(1) To generate electricity power to meet the increasing demand for purposes of
economical and social development.
(2) To provide relatively cheap electricity power to improve the irrigated agriculture
in the country.
(3) To benefit from the flow irrigation for the upper stream river to achieve
agricultural development, and to improve the breeds of agricultural seeds.
(4)
To use the electricity to pump up the ground water and use it to expand the
agriculture sector
(5) To establish industrial projects, food industry projects, and mining field that
depends on the electricity as a main energy sources.
(6) To introduce fish industry in the Dams lake.
(7) To protect the down stream areas from the destructives floods.
(8) To improve the river transportation.
(9) To improve the living standard for the local residence in the area of the project,
by creating investment and new jobs opportunities.
(10) To reduce the pressure on the current dams, especially with regard to the
struggle for water use for irrigation or power generation.(4)
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3.8 The accompanying projects
3.8.1 Residential town
Figure 3 A part of the residential town (the dam city)
This town was built to accommodate the resident engineers, consultants and contractors in a
total area of 280,000 sq meters, and it includes the following:
•
70 houses divided into (4) different types (A, B, C, and D).
•
A fully furnished hotel-standard VIP rest house, with 20 wings.
•
A clinic
•
A cultural, social, and sport club.
•
A mosque
•
Septic tank for waste water treatment
•
4 km long inner roads with parking
•
A power generation station of 4MW capacity and an internal power grid
•
A drinking water station which produces 90 cubic meters per day.
•
A two-story administration building with (10) offices and a grand hall.(4)
As part of the preparations for the dam’s construction, some infrastructures have been built to
smooth the transportation of equipment and materials. This includes a rail way line, bridges,
and roads.
3.8.2 Roads:
Figure 4 View of new highway road in the area of the dam.
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(1)
Merowe dam road sub-road (103) km, connecting the site of the dam, and the
city of Merowe to the main high road of Shiryan Alshimal.2
(2)
Merowe Atbara Road (262) km, connecting the site of the dam with Atbara city
till the main port of the country (Port Sudan) in the red Sea.
(3)
Karima Dongola road (172) km, connecting the site of the dam beside the city of
Karima with the capital city of the state (Dongola).
(4)
Re-habitation for the main high way of Shiryan Alshimal from the capital
Khartoum to the site of the dam, and the rest of northern states.
(5)
City of Karima, and the site of the dam (27) km.
(6)
City of Merowe, and the site of the dam (40) km.
(7)
Inner roads in the city of karima (18) km, and inner roads in city of Merowe (24)
km.
3.8.3 Bridges:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Bridge between city of Merowe and city of Karima.
Bridge between Aldamer city and Um-altiyour area.
Bridge between Shandi, and Almatama.
Bridge of Alseleeim linked between the two sides of Dongola city.
3.8.4 Railway
Short railway line of (16) km that linked the dam site with main railway line had been
considered as one of the most important infrastructures in preparation for the dam
construction in such ways of:
(1) Reduce the cost of transportation, and achieved the maximum safety.
(2)
Facilitate the completion of the required work according to the schedule.
3.8.5 Merowe International Air port:
A new air port is being built as part of the projects that accompany the establishment
of Merowe dam. The air port site located in the northern state, east of the town of Merowe,
about 2 km away from the old air port .It faces the Shirian Alshimal high way which links
Merowe city with the dam’s site. This air port is considered to be one of the important
infrastructures for the dam, and one of the advanced air ports in the Sudan. The initial studies
for the air port started in 1993.The total area of the air port is 18 sq km, , the total cost of the
project is about 61 million dollars.
3.8.6 New Hospital of Merowe:
Consider as one of the biggest hospitals in northern Sudan at an estimated cost of (60) million
dollars, and it is going to be one of the three centres of radiotherapy in the whole Sudan.
2
One of the main high roads in northern Sudan.
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Figure 5 the new hospital of Merowe (under construction).
3.8.7 Merowe Technical College:
High college specialized in technical studies, and it will make Merowe city as an attractive
academic centre for the surrounding.
3.9 Migration and displacement in Sudan
Migration is considered as increasing demographic progress in the world of today as result of
the changes in system of work, and production in the most of communities with increasing of
the amount of population average does not suit with the available resources. The traditional
system of agricultural products in most cases become invalid to face the needs of people and
their energy hidden productivity, for that the progress of immigration knows as moving or
conversion or change of place for person or group from place to another place inside the
border of the country ,or from place to place out side the boarder of the country, and
according to that we can classify the immigration to interior and external, interior it is the
progress of moving persons or groups from place to another inside the same community or
from area to another inside the border of the same community, but the external is usually for
improving the level of the life by looking for better chances for jobs or any other kinds of
social needs, also the immigration can be classified into voluntary and compulsory .Voluntary
is that kind of immigration persons or people do it by their desire with out any coercion or
force from any, but compulsory is the movement of persons or people from their original
residence to other areas for coercion reasons like natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods,
the dryness and the desertification and spreading of the wars and illness, and it can be also for
the politics of the directed plan for the economic and social development in both local and
national levels (13). The recent history of demographic groups in the Sudan witnessed a lot of
experience in the field of voluntary and compulsory immigrations, like example in Aljazeera
project (2 million Acers ) central of Sudan, started after constructed of Sennar dam in 1925,
which considered as the largest irrigation agricultural project in Sudan we find that the flows
of labours waves have increased according to the increase in the agricultural patch and the
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immigrant came from eastern parts of Sudan ,and eastern Africa and as an example in the
season of 73-1974 (542,000) had been used in collecting the of the cotton ,about half of them
(336,000) labour had come from out the project area. And one of the important characteristics
of this kind of seasonal immigration is that it is changed into permanent especially when the
immigrants found the new areas are better than their old ones. (13). The displacement of Wadi
Halfa people in Northern of Sudan after the construction of the high dam in Egypt is
considered as another sample of immigration in the Sudan, the affected were removed from
northern Sudan and had been resettlement in the area of Khashm Alqirba ( eastern of Sudan)
in demographic collectors integral. Distributed among integral city, and 26 appended village
called New Wadi Halfa for loading all the immigrants of the area who were (53,274 ) at the
time of immigration in 1964 (14). Also after the waves of droughts and desertification which
hit large areas in Africa, and Sudan in the mid of-1980s, the states of western Sudan witnessed
huge immigration to the capital and the central of the country.
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4. Social cost benefit
4.1 What is Social cost?
Social cost in economics is generally defined in opposition to private cost, and it refers to the
analysis of social welfare. This would be the effect of an economic activity on society as
whole that would include consumers, producers and others in the society which may be
affected ( such as people exposed to pollution due to the production of good).Generally you
should look at all possible costs to consumers and producers and compare that with all
possible benefits. In general any project appraisal must distinguish between three components:
financial, economic, and social appraisal (6).
Financial appraisal: examines the financial flows generated by the project itself and the
direct costs of the project measured at market prices.
Economic appraisal: adjusts costs and benefits to take account of cost and benefits to the
economy at large. Including the direct effects of the projects that are not captured by the price
mechanism.
Social appraisal: examines the distributional consequences of project choices, both
intertemporal concerns (e.g. effects over a period of time, today versus the future) and also
intratemporal concerns (e.g. concerns between group in society at a specific point in time.)
4.2 How to measure social and cost benefits of public project
The social and cost benefits analysis of public project needs to make on the basis of the
following criteria:
(1) It’s utility for the masses like employment generation, poverty eradication.
Infrastructure creation and related developments.
(2) It is influence on the environment like air pollution, noise pollution and related
public health considerations.
(3) Feasibility of auxiliary industries of any.
(4) Effect on domestic inflation rate.
(5) Chances of associated for coming over the area.
(6) Effect on standard of living of the population.
(7) Effect on standard on law and order situation like chances of increase in crime
rate, alcoholism, and narcotics etc.
(8) Effect of real estate situation like residential accommodation, rental housing,
construction business etc.
(9) Effect of land being utilized for the project in terms of agricultural land or
otherwise
Many more factors may also influence the decision.
- 19 -
4.3 Social cost Comparing to the Social benefits
According to cost benefit analysis, the action will not be taken if a certain action will impose a
higher social cost than it drives a social benefit, then it would be foolish to implement such a
course of action. Thus, the action should not be taken.
4.4 Costs benefit analysis and Time
In many applications of cost benefit analysis, the analyst must measure the net benefits of a
project or policies that generate cost and benefits over a period of time, with cost and benefits
often occurring in different time periods .This increases the complexity of the analysis,
because a dollar today of costs or benefits ten years from today is not directly comparable to a
dollar of costs or benefits today. Because comparisons require a common metric, cost benefits
uses a process called Discounting to express all future costs and benefits in their present value
requirement.
4.5 Dams and social cost benefits
Today over one billion people don’t have access to safe drinking water .More than double
that number lack basic sanitation. Tow billion people have no accesses to electricity. And
those numbers are set to rise. With the world’s population growing faster than ever, by 2050
at least 1 in 4 people will be living in a country affected by water shortage. And in the most
alarming scenario, by that time up to seven billion people in 60 countries are expected to face
water scarcity. To meet the demand for water ,and electricity more large dams are proposed as
a key solution, but the question is if they will really bring the benefits, as the benefits they
bring have come at great and environmental and social cost, as they destroy ecosystems and
cause people to lose their homes and live hoods. As a result of the benefits that dams provide
–such as hydropower, irrigation, and flood control services –are often undertaken by negative
environmental and social impacts. For example much of the water provided by dams is lost,
mainly due to ratio of the evaporation from the lakes created by dams especially in the hot
weather areas. Downstream communities suffer most from dams, with rivers running dry and
fish stocks decimated. Dams disrupt the ecological balance of rivers by depleting them of
oxygen and nutrients, and effecting the migration and reproduction of fish and other
freshwater species. (7)
4.6 World Commission on Dams
In response to the growing opposition to large dams, the world commission on dams (WCD)
was established by the World Bank in 1998, and it is main goals was to:
(1)
Review the development effectiveness of large dams and asses alternatives for
water resources and energy developments.
(2)
Developed internationally acceptable criteria, guidelines and standards for the
planning, design appraisal, construction, construction, and operation of Dams.
- 20 -
The WCD found that while dams had made an important and significant contribution
to human development, and benefits derived from the can be considerable ,in too
many cases and often unnecessary price has been paid to secure these benefit,
especially in social and environmental terms ,by people displaced by communities
downstream, and by the natural environment. For that the commission provides a new
frame work for decision-making on water and energy, and the main recommendation
includes the following:
(1)
No dams should be built with out (demonstrable acceptance) of affected people.
(2)
Comprehensive and participatory assessments of people’s water and energy
needs, and different options for meeting these needs, should be developed before
proceeding with any projects.
(3) Priority should be given to maximizing the efficiency of existing water and
energy system before building new projects.
(4)
Mechanism should be developed to provide retroactive compensation to those
who are suffering from dam’s construction.(8)
4.7 Resettlement and Social Cost Benefits
African development group (Bank and Fund), involuntary resettlement policy has been
developed to cover involuntary displacement and resettlement of people caused by a bank
financed projects and it is applies when a project results in relocation or loss of shelter by the
persons residing in the project area, assets being lost or livelihoods being affected. The policy
is set within the framework of the Bank s` vision in which poverty reduction represents the
overarching goal, where the strategic action to achieve sustainable development will be
pursued. This policy was approved in 1990; the overall objective of the policy is to insure that
environmental concerns are incorporated in all Banks’s funded operations. It is related to
projects involving agricultural and rural development such as irrigation schemes, transport
projects such as the construction of roads, port or air port, and large and medium sized
infrastructure developments projects such as dams for water storage or power generation. For
these projects, resettlements issues have been assessed in the past through Environmental and
Social Impact Assessment studies. (9)
4.8 Lessons learnt
The African development group (Bank and fund) laid out a set of guiding principles
and strategies to be considered in the development of resettlement plan:
(1)
A close attention should be paid to the laws and regulations
governing expropriations of land tied to resettlement. While the country’s laws
cannot be violated ,the government should be encouraged to take a long term
development perspective rather than the short-term solution
(2)
The development of a good resettlement plan should take into
account careful planning, and it should be supported by a comprehensive socialeconomic survey to determine all the relevant characteristics of the affected
population.
- 21 -
(3)
Resettlement should be well integrated with their host
communities with provision for sufficient land for their economic activities, and
adequate housing, water and sanitation facilities at the point of relocation.
(4)
The development of a resettlement plan should recognize that most
of the people affected by resettlement are generally from the low income groups,
and characterized by high unemployment rates.
4.9 Policy Goal
The overall goal of the Bank’s policy is to ensure that when people must be displaced they
are treated equitably, and that they share in the benefits of the project that involves their
resettlement.
4.10 Policy objective
(1) To avoid or minimize resettlement impacts where population displacement is
unavoidable, exploring all viable project design with particular attention to the socio- cultural
consideration. When a large number of people or significant portion of the affected people
will suffer from impacts that are difficult to quantify and to compensate, the alternative of not
going a head with the project should be given a serious consideration.
(2) To ensure that displaced people receive resettlement assistance, preferably under the
project, so that their standard of living is improving.
(3) To provide explicit guidance in order to mitigate the negative impacts of resettlement and
establish sustainable society and economy.
(4) To set up a mechanism for monitoring the performance of resettlement programs in Bank
operations so as to safeguard against poorly implemented resettlement plans.
- 22 -
5. Cities of Merowe and Karima
5.1 Merowe and Karima cities
Locality of Merowe established as one of the Northern states localities according to the
governmental local law for the year 2003 with the same duties authorized to the previous
province of Merowe with some accompanying disagreements in the legislations for the law.
The locality has an area of 90 km2 on the both sides (East, and West) of the Nile, touches the
border of Abu Hamad from the north, and the locality of Aldaba in the south. The main cities
of the locality are: Merowe, which is the capital of the locality, and Karima, Algurair,
Tangasi, and Kurti (15)
5.2 Population of the Locality
The locality is occupied with about 160,000 people, and it consists mainly from the tribes of
Alshaygia, Almanasir, and Albideria, and also from other tribes from out side the area. Most
of the people of the locality work in the field of agriculture, beside the trading activities. (15)
5.3 Merowe and Karima, the reason of choosing
Merowe and Karima are the two main cities in the locality of Merowe and in the Nile state
as well. Karima was a main railway station as well as river transportation centre before the
collapse of the two sectors in the last decades, and both of the two cities includes important
vestigial areas .Both of the cities are similar to the rest of the Sudanese cities in northern part
in sharing the dry desert nature with dust covering the feature of the mud houses, which most
of the city are constructed of. The life appearances are only around the Nile in a shape of
palms and gardens on a tight belt straight along the Nile. All the people I met during my visit
there agree that the two cities were repellent in all measures, even there were abandoned
houses for more than 30 years, and travelling to the both cities was made mainly by its
inhabitants who have immigrated to other regions in connection with their jobs. The
importance of the two cities in our study is that they are the nearest two cities to the site of the
dam and they can be a clear sample to follow the effect of the dam in their real estate market.
5.4 Cities of Karima and Merowe before the dam
Most of the people whom I met there during my trip to the both cities of Karima, and Merowe
agreed that they were really repellent. There are a lot of repellent phenomena supported these
views, starting from the decrease of the population ,beside the phenomena of the abandoned
houses in the two cities as a part of general decrease of the population in the both states of
River Nile, and the Northern for the reason of immigration, even one of those whom I met,
who is an owner of a hotel (20) in the market of Merowe, he told me that if I had visited the
market of Merowe in the afternoon a few years earlier I would have found Wolves wandering
inside it. Moreover the two cities were totally empty from paved streets, and there was a real
shortage in water supply, and electricity, beside lack of chances in the work activity. The two
- 23 -
cities were not connected to the rest of the country with any paved roads and it was very
difficult for the citizens of the two cities to connect with other parts of the country especially
Khartoum the capital of the country as it would take more than 12 hours to reach it through
difficult and rough roads using tough kinds of buses, and trucks. As the total status reversed
on the non attendance of the people to the different land planning offered by the government
in past years before the construction of the dam and its accumulative projects, and also on the
lowest prices of lands and rents in both cities.
5.5 Tangible changes that can be noticed after the construction of
the dam
(1) In the field of roads the two cities are connected to site of the dam with two
roads from Merowe to the site of the dam, the length is 40 km, while from Karima it
is only 27 km.
(2) A bridge is constructed between two cities instead of the old ferry.
Figure 6 the old ferry between the two cities and, the new bridge (under construction)
(3) Instead of the dusty inner roads each city has paved roads with a length of 18
km, for Karima, and 24 km, for Merowe.
(4) Both of the cities are connected to the main high way of Shiryan Alshimal which
will connect them to the capital of the country, and the rest of cities in the Sudan,
beside a high way form Merowe to Atbara, and then to the main port at the Red Sea,
also Karima has it is road which links it with the capital of the state and the rest of
cities in northern Sudan.
(5) There is a specialized hospital in the city of Merowe, beside an occupational
college.
(6) The construction of Merowe International Air port.
5.6.1 Intangible changes
In my visit to the city of Merowe, I met with the owner of Terhaga hotel (20) the only one in
Merowe, which is built in 1973 in the centre of Merowe city market with only five rooms, has
increased since that time till it reached (9) rooms, the total number of beds is (35), and they
plan to establish a second floor to face the increase of the demand. About the type of people
who used to come to the hotel he said that, before most of the people came to the city from
- 24 -
areas around the city to solve their administrative and social disputes (conflicts) in the court of
the city, or at the governmental sectors, but the type of guests has changed now as you can
find:
(1) Permanent guests who are working in the city market.
(2) Workers who came especially because they heard about the chances of work in
the area.
(3) Transportation passengers who make the city as a transit station.
(4) Workers who already are working in some projects inside the city.
5.6.2 New Governmental Hotel
It has started working recently ,it has (14) rooms each room has two beds, with a meeting hall
to serve different needs of customer, the building itself looks totally different if you compare
it with the existing hotel of Terhaga ,and it reflects changes that may have started to appear in
the dusty city of Merowe.
Figure 7 the old hotel of Terhaga at Merowe
Figure 8 for the new hotel at Merowe
5.7 The sector of Transportation
I met at the market of the city a transportation agent manager(21) who is working as an agent
of transportation buses called (Almanama), he told me that before the construction of the dam,
and the new road which links the city directly with the capital of the country there was only
one bus covering not only the city, but also some areas around it and the passengers
themselves were in most cases are well known to each other ,and the nature of the journey for
most of them is a visit to their relatives in the area. The kinds and brands of buses were
always that heavy and tough brands which can sustains the long and tough journey, and the
journey was starting usually at 5 AM till it reaches the final destination at the capital of the
country at 6 PM .But now there is more than one bus, it becomes as a kinds of competition
between the owners of the buses, and vans, as there are more than two modern conditioned
buses, beside 5-9 vans travelling daily from the city, and they are available for the travellers
till the early evening. And the travellers themselves are not like before, when they were well
known to each other, as most of them are strangers who are working in constructing the dam
or with companies that entered the area recently.
- 25 -
5.8 The Impact on the real estate sector in the two cities
5.8.1
City of Merowe:
5.8.1.1 Administration of land:
In my visit to the area I met with many people who are working in the fields that related to
the real estate sectors, and one of those was director manager of lands in the city of Merowe.
(22)He started our meeting by saying that Merowe was a real repellent city and the land were
always available all the time without any request from the people, for example in the year 992000 they offered a parcel of land with an area of 550 m2 for a very low price inside the city
of Merowe and it did not find any buyer. The main reason was that, nearby the offered land
there was no any kind of amenities or services, and even there was no any chances for work in
the city to make it attractive area for people. But after the start of construction of the dam,
many companies came to the city and many job opportunities came up which made the city
more attractive.
The constructions of the dam with its accompanying projects bring about job creations which
in effects serve as a pull factor drawing many people. As a sample of the change in the sector
of lands he showed me a sample of previous land planning in the city of Merowe starting from
the first plan in 1987 when they created about 250 parcels for the people but did not receive
any attraction for occupancy. There was another one a decade later where application received
were far less than the number anticipated 250.In 2003 when the construction start in the dam
they however, made a planning consisted of 800 parcels all of them taken by the requested
applications, and until recently (2007) there is available land planning consist of (2200) while
the requested applications from the people is (3300) which exceeds the number of available
parcels of lands. At the end of our meeting the director manager of lands attributed the
increased demand of land in the city to the construction of the dam, and the accumulative
projects make a lot of available chances for work, and brought a lot of workers who liked to
live in the area and found it suitable for them.
5.8.1.2 The Legal profession section
I met with a lawyer (23) who is working in the city of Merowe, at her office in the centre of
Merowe market. She started our meeting talking about the role of lawyers in the real estate
activities as they playing a role of connection between the buyers and sellers, as well as
releasing the official documents which the beneficiary can present at any of official sectors.
She also mentioned scarcity in real estate transactions in the city before constructing the dam
as cases were limited to:
(1) Some one who really need money.
(2) Someone left the area for ever, and wants to sell all his properties here. At both cases
he will not get the price which he wanted.
And she continued talking in confidence about the continuous increase in activities
regarding real estate in recent times. She confesses the receipt of 5-7 monthly application
from people looking for homes to buy or rent. It is obvious that this trend has only
become a recent phenomenon.
- 26 -
5.8.1.3 A sample of real estate office in Merowe
As a reaction to the extension of real estate activities in the city of Merowe, I visited the
owner (24) of the real estate agent of Merowe, he said that the real estate activity was
restricted in the social relationship among the people of the area, as any one who wants to buy
or sell should talk to the people whom he knows and wait for the one who may has a desire to
buy or sell from him depending on his social relationship. About the size of the market now,
he said it becomes bigger than before as there are a lot of brokers who are working without
official licence in the same market. He gave me a sample of prices which he deals with before
and after the construction of the dam and its accumulative projects:
(1) Before the dam (before 2003) the high price sold by the government as an
investment land was estimated with 750,000 Sudanese Pounds3, and one year later it
became 1,150,000 SP ,now in 2007 it is estimated from 12-15 million SP4.
(2) Sq (13) as one of the city main parts the parcel of land was estimated for (2)
million SP before the construction of the dam, now the selling price is 12-15 million
SP.
(3) Sq (7A), where you can find parcels of lands with an area of (650) m2, it was
estimated for 2 million now it costs 15-20 million SP.
(4) Sq (17) the price was 1 million SP, now it costs between 7-10 million SP, with
an area of (400) m2.
(5) Sq (16) with an area of 400 m2.Distributed for the first time as a substitution
lands as a re-planning inside the city sold with 6-8 million SP without any previous
record for it is price in the market.
About the level of rents in the city he said, the prices for the common houses which
constructed from mud and contains of two rooms and two verandas was estimated between
50,000-60,000 SP per month, now it cost between 400,000-500,000 SP per month.
And for the houses constructed of bricks and has a waterborne sanitation system rented
between (1 - 1, 5) million SP per month.
For the commercial offices with an area of (5*5) in market of the city it was between
(70,000-100,000) SP per month, now it costs between (400,000-500,000) SP per month. At
the end of our meeting the owner of the real estate office return the reasons for the big
changes in prices to:
(1)
Starting the constructing of the dam and the accumulative projects
gave more advantage to the city.
(2)
The high number of workers in different projects and their desire
to live within the area.
(3)
The companies working in those projects increased the level of
rent as they make their offices inside the city.
(4)
The new inner roads in the city and other projects make the city
more attractive for others.
3
4
1 US dollar=2000 Sudanese Pounds -year 2007
The value of 1 US dollar decreased between (2001-2007) from 2500 SP to 2000 SP.
- 27 -
Figure 9 Sample of real estate office in Merowe city.
5.8.1.4 Land register office
During my visit to the area I went to the land register office in Merowe where they register all
the movement of selling and buying of lands in the area, I met with the manager of the office
(25) who gave me a sample of the movement of selling in specific places in two duration
before, and after the construction of the dam:
Place
Sq (13)
Sq (18)
Sq (16)
Alingaz
9A,and 7A
Year (2000)-(2003)
(500,000) SP5
(750,000) SP
(1,25) million SP
(100,000) SP
(100,000) SP
Year (2007)
(12) million SP
(1) million SP
(9-10) million SP
(2-3) million SP
(2,5) million SP
Area
(400)m2
(500)m2
-------------(200)m2
----------------
The manager of land records added other reasons that make prices increase in real estate
sector beside what others said:
(1) The area becomes attractive for the available of water and electricity services.
(2) Constructing new institute in the area, and opening of a branch for national
university in the city.
5.8.2 Karima:
Karima the second city after Merowe in the area of the dam is considered as less affected by
the dam and its accumulative projects, as most of them are constructed in the side of Merowe
5
1 Us dollars=2000 Sudanese Pounds-year 2007.
- 28 -
city, but the real estate activities are well noticed in the city as commentators look at it as a
twin city for Merowe. In my visit to Karima I met with the same sectors that I met in Merowe:
5.8.2.1 Administration of Land
Figure 10 Administration office of land at Karima city
I met with the manager of Karima s` land sector (26) on 13-3-2007 ,he started saying that in
the year 1989-1990 they presented about (70) parcels of land with an area of (400)m2, for sale
in different sides in the centre of Karima but it did not find any one to buy it. Recently in the
year (2005-2006), all these parcels of lands were sold with prices between (10-12) million SP.
Also in year (2004) a total of (100) parcels of land in Sq (7) presented for sale with an area of
(600) m2.all of it were sold with price of (2) million SP, and he estimated if those same
parcels of land sold again this year (2007) they are not going to be sold less than (5-6) million
SP. He talked about the recent land planning in the city of Karima which only (3000) parcel
of land is available, while the requested application from the people are (4200). At the end
of his talk he agreed with others on the impacts of the dam and it is accumulative projects in
increasing the demand for land in the area, and he added that there is a kind of opposite
migration to the area.
5.8.2.2 The Legal profession section:
On 12-3-2007 I met with a lawyer (27)who has an office in city of Karima market, and he
talked to me about the clear increasing in the level of prices in the real estate sector in the city
recently, and the increase of the number of the people who started to work in this activity, and
he told me about his personal attempt related to his previous home which he rent it in one of
the best areas in the city in the year (2000) with only amount of (50,000) pound per month,
and he left it in (2003) because the owner of the house said to him that he is going to rent it to
another one who is willing to pay (250,000) per month., the house consist of two rooms ,and
saloon with a modern health dismissal system.
And about the office which he work in now which located in the side of the market he said
that he rent it in the year (2002) with only (10,000) per month pounds, and he is paying
- 29 -
(60,000) per month as he is the essential tenant, because the owner of the office can rent it
now with (100,000) pounds per month.
The total transactions for the lawyer as one of (8) lawyers working in the same city, in the
field of real estate during the year (2006) was (170) while one of his college who work at the
same activity record (4000) transactions during the same, while the his estimated to whole
transactions in the field of real estate in the city of Karima during year (2006) was (20,000)
transactions. He returns the reasons of increasing the prices of land and rents to same reasons
mentioned by others.
Figure 11 the office of the lawyer at Karima market .outside and inside view
5.8.2.3 Karima service centre (real estate agent):
I visited another location in the city which has a direct connection to the real estate activity,
and which considered as one of the modern activities appear in the city, which called Karima
centre for services and it contains an especial sector for the real estate activities where I met
with one of the owners (28) he said there is another office in the market sharing them the
same field of activity, beside a lot of brokers who haven’t got official licence, he said they
work as a connection between the beneficiary and the buyer or the seller and they take their
cost from the owner ship one month in advance if they find some one who desire to rent from
him.
- 30 -
Figure 12 Sample of Real estate office at Karima city market.
About their activity he said they receive about (10) requested application per month, and
about the changes in the real estate sector in the city as an example in Sq (2) or (3) in the
centre of the city the amount of renting a house constructed of Mud with two rooms, and
saloon was not more than (50,000) SP but now it costs between (200,000-250,000) SP, and
for the one in the same area which constructed from breaks the maximum rent was (100,00 SP
per month, now cost between (400,000-500,000) SP per month.
(1) And if we talk about the prices of selling in the same area (Sq-3) it was cost (1-2)
million pounds; now it cost (10-15) million SP.
(2) Sq (5) it was about (1, 5) million SP, now it costs (4-5) million SP depending on it is
distance from the paved road.
(3) Sq (7) where the established a custom station as a centre for the imported products
from Egypt the prices were between (1-1, 7) million SP, now it is between (4-10)
million SP.
And concerning the ready made houses and their prices as an example in Sq (3) the
mud house was cost ( 4-3) million SP, but now it cost between (20-30) million SP, for
the cost of the brick constructed one in the same area it was ( 10-15) million SP, now it
is between(35-50) million SP.
For him he thinks the reason for the increase of prices in the real estate sector return to:
(1) The future view to the area make all have a desire to live in it.
(2) The establishment of the custom station brought a lot of people to the area.
- 31 -
5.8.2.4 The land records sector:
I also visited the land records sector in the city of Karima, and I met with the manager of the
sector (29) in his office on 14-3-2007, and he gave me an example for the changes in the real
estate sectors prices in specific area in two different years:
No. of Sq
(2)
(3)
(6)
(9)
(13)
year
2000
Price in SP
700,000
year
Price in SP year
2004
(4) million 2007
2002
800,000
2007
2004
700,000
2007
2004
500,000
2007
2004
200,000
2007
Figure 13 Prices of lands inside Karima city
Figure 14 Sample of New inner streets in Karima city.
- 32 -
Price in SP
8 million
10 million
5 million
9 million
2 million
6. Before construction of the dam
6.1 Alhamdab Old Areas
The group of people, who was removed to the new resettlement in the New Alhamdab, were
living in the area of Alhamdab Island and neighbourhood, and they are considered as the first
group who were removed from their old places as the body of the dam itself is constructed on
their land. The total number of population in Alhamdab area was about 5,000, about half of
them are affected by the construction of the dam and required to remove them to new
resettlement areas .The age distribution shows that 75% of its members under 35 years. the
male among them is 51.6% while the percent of the female is 48.4%which mean in general
the community has the ability to practices it is activities and do not need substitute
employment forces.
The people of Alhamdab practiced the mixed agriculture. They practiced their activity of
agriculture in an area of land called (Alsagya)6. The cultivated area of Alsagya varies
according to the situation and ability of the owner, consist of small areas called (Alsahm), and
mostly the ownership of the (Alsagya) belongs to one owner while his inheritances participate
together work on it. Agriculture was the main activity in the old area of Alhamdab, where
20% percent from the total population practice it while 4% of them were working as
employers. About 41% from the total population are young students; they participate with
their families in the agricultural activities. Moreover, 14% of the slice are children, and elders.
As the agricultural activities was considered as the main activity for the people of Alhamdab
in their old areas, and the area of the available land for agriculture was so narrow and limited
to face the increase of the population the people used to immigrate to other areas out side their
land, and one of the first immigration for the people of Alhamdab was to eastern of Sudan to
the city of Kassala where lands and water for agriculture are available. Also they removed to
other national agricultural project like Alburgaig project which established in 1943, also to the
project of Aljazeera in the central of the Sudan, but those were not the only places were the
Alhamdab people immigrated to but it just as an example, and when we talk about the
immigration in Alhamdab area we can return it to the following reasons:
(1) Increase of population in the area.
(2) The limited area of the lands available for agriculture.
(3) The owner of the land distributed among a lot of heirs.
The education services has started in the year 1956 with the first school established in that
area with a system of only three years, and they should complete the rest of the years in other
schools out side their area. In 1969 the total number of schools were (3).Recently before the
time of immigration to their new resettlement area of New Alhamdab there were (6) primary
schools all of them were primary schools. For those who want to continue their studies they
should go and complete it in the around cities like Karima and Merowe, due to many reasons,
students’ families find it difficult to financially support them. As a consequence the level of
illiterately among the people is about 10%with out counting the number of those who only
studied the primary level.
About the health services in the old area of Alhamdab was not better than the education
situation, as the level of the health clinics were not more than small clinics. There are only six
6
Local measurement for agriculture land.
- 33 -
small clinics in the whole area; the clinics are administrated by nurse assistance from the same
area. I met with a nurse (30) who is living now in New Alhamdab and working in it is new
clinic, he said when he was working alone in the same field as a nurse assistance covering a
huge space in his old area, dealing with all cases, and the cure in most cases limited in the
tranquilizers, and in case of necessity he make surgeries operations for some injuries. For the
cases of the birth some local women has the experience, and elementary education to serve as
midwifes. If there are any of emergency cases which they couldn’t deal with they should take
it directly to the nearest hospitals in the cities of Karima or Merowe as a reasons of this
shortage in medical services maternal mortality is not a rare phenomenon.
6.1.2 A visit to a sample of an old area
A visit to one of the affected areas in the old Alhamdab has been conducted. The area is
located near the body of the dam called (kalagili). Now this area is partially populated as the
removing from the area was not compulsory. The area look like individual villages distributed
as a belt along the Nile before the body of the dam, and after it with a narrow agriculture area
beside the Nile with hundred of palm trees, all the houses in the village are constructed from
mud intertwined between in a form of a vernacular architecture, the houses contains from (23) rooms for each, and if there is two families live in the same house it means that there are
from( 4-6) rooms in the house. I met there with one of those who refused to leave the old area
of (kalagili) (31) born in (1971), married with children. He left his area only few times to
Merowe, Khartoum, and Kassala in east of Sudan. He started talking about the activity of the
people who are living in the area depending in their life on agriculture of wheat, onions,
vegetables, and palms besides taking care of house stock. Crops are then either sold in the big
markets of Merowe and Karima or to the merchant to buy it in their villages. The trip to
Merowe using big trucks takes two and half hours before while it takes only one hour now,
and they can use all kinds of car. About the education in their old area he said there was only
one primary school in the whole area of (Kalagili),and for the intermediate and high
secondary schools students should walk or use their donkeys to study in Karima, and Merowe
schools about (20) km away from them. About the health care there was only one health
station in the whole area administrated by the one of the area’s residents that has an
elementary idea about health care, providing a very humble services, and if there were any
difficult case they should take it directly to one of big hospitals in Karima or Merowe
including the cases of difficult birth.
Figure 15 Sample of a village (Kalagili) at the old areas.
- 34 -
Electricity depend on the local machines where any group of people can operate together
using one of their diesel engine of the engine and control it by themselves providing them
with electricity daily in the evening usually form (6-10:30), and concerning the supply of
water they get it directly from the river using pumps and store it in tanks, and take from it
according to their needs. Regarding the available land for agriculture he said each family has
about 1-1:50 acre for each family because there is a lot of people sharing the same heredity.
6.2 Amri Old Areas
This is considered as the second group of affected people who removed to their new areas in
the resettlement areas in New Amri located at the end southern part of the Northern state
adjacent with the Nile River state, in the locality of Merowe north of Karima city about (45)
km ,the people were distributed along the Nile as a belt starting from the south boarder of
Amri in Absham village till the area of Almanasir group in the north it contains of (12)
localities with a lot of islands among ,as it located inside the area of the fourth cataract .The
Nile is considered as an artery of life for them , they plant the narrow belt around the Nile in
both season of autumn, and summer. Moreover, they plant the palm as a monetary corps for
the reason of selling beside the cattle. The houses there were built from mud and it covered by
the trunks of the palm and other kinds of trees, and because of the limited space, establishing
of big villages was not feasible. In most cases it is a group of houses extended in narrow area
as a belt along the Nile. Most of the people of the area have a kind of relative relation ship
between each other, and generally we divided the whole area of old Amri into three areas:
(1) Amri area, East of the Nile:
It is located at the east bank of the Nile, and consist of group of small villages called
(Alargoup, Alsiuiga, Algananeim, Alfugara ;…..), and it is connected with Karima city as
a commercial centre for their products.
(2) Amri,West of the Nile:
It is located at west bank of the Nile, and it consists of a group of villages like
(Alkhazina, Albutareen, Dar Alarab, Alhadyab, Alhagar Alahmar,), and it is connected
with Merowe city as a commercial centre for their products.
(3) The Islands:
It consists from (10) islands inside the Nile, and they differ in their administrative and
commercial relation between the two cities of Merowe and Karima according to their
distance from the two cities.
The services in the old areas:
The areas of the old Amri suffered too much from lack of services in the field of education
and health. There were a very few number of primary schools, and the non-existence of high
secondary schools, beside the lack of health services which make the people travelling to long
distance using a very difficult roads to get to the main hospital in Merowe, and Karima.
6.3 Almanasir Old Areas
It is the region of the fourth cataract; the most impassable of the all rapids of the Nile .It is the
home land of Almanasir tribe. Still today the water rapids can not be crossed by any large
boats making the region accessible only via a sandy and rocky desert track. Dar Almanasir is
- 35 -
confined by the upstream in the area of Abu hamad and the down stream till the area of
Merowe dam. It covering a distance of approximately 130 km along the Nile with most
villages lined up along the left river bank called (west side), but the heart the heart of the area
consists of (14) islands. The climate is arid with annual rainfall of about 50 mm in good
years. The exact amount and spatial distribution of the precipitation during the rainy season in
the months of August until October is highly variable and there for unpredictable .The rainy
season coincides with the flood season of the Nile.
The Manasir pursue small scale agriculture in the immediate vicinity of the Nile. Tiny pockets
of alluvial sediments and the seasonally inundated riverside land are intensively irrigated and
cultivated. The most important cash corps of the region is the dates.
6.4 Disadvantages of the old areas
•
Unavailability of all services including health, electricity, water, education.
•
Lack of plantation in the built environment.
•
The absence of schools make the students walk for long distances, and some of
them stopped even go to schools, which increased the level of uneducated people.
•
The water needs to be brought from the river directly with out any treatment.
Furthermore, all the member of the family should participate in it, and it becomes
more difficult for those who live far from the Nile.
•
The using of irrigation pumps to produce electricity was only for the people who
have ability to face it is expenses.
From commercial point of view the commercial dealing was not in cash as most of the
customers were paying late, and the commercial activity was connected always with
agricultural seasons and was not active all the year.
•
The limitation of the agricultural lands available for agriculture, which make the
product it self is so low.
Figure 16 Sample of commercial shop unit at Almanasir old area.
- 36 -
7. Progress of compensation
7.1 The affected Area
The constructed of Merowe Dam is going to affect a huge Area of land in the Nile state as
well as Northern state (according to the political map of the Sudan) by creating the dam’s lake
which is going to take space of 176 km, Starting from Merowi island in the area of Al hamdab
north of Merowe city, till the Area of Umsafaia south of Abu hamad city, in the Nile state.
This huge Area of land along the Nile is occupied by three groups of people Alhamdab, Amri,
and Almanasir, the number of their total population is (48,668) which mean about (9,586)
families divided among the three areas, and this number was according to the census held in
1999 by the dam implementation unit (DIU) with a co-operative with central statistical organ,
and both governments of the Nile, and Northern states.(15)
7.1 The Area of Compensation:
Figure 17 Map view for the area of the dam
The DIU (dam implementation unit) suggested many substitution areas for the affected people
in their three categories. For the first affected group of Al hamdab they has chosen Almultaga
project south of Aldaba city in the Nile state about 130 km from their home land. The second
group of Amri has chosen Wadi Almugadam project. For the last and biggest group of
Almanasir they get a resettlement area and agriculture projects in Almukabrab project, or
which known also by Keheila project, beside some elementary suggestion areas around the
expected lake.
- 37 -
7.2 Cost of resettlement
The total cost for the compensation and resettlement for the three groups of affected people is
going to be (392) million dollars over the six years of constructing the dam, and according to
level of water in the expected lake.
7.3 The Restriction and the compensation
Under the provisions of article (5) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam of
Merowe for year 2003, the commissioner organized a committee to restrict the properties of
the affected people to register the people and their properties, and it should contain both sides
of the DIU and the affected people. With regard to the resources of real estate for the affected
people stated in the law as follows.
7.4 Committee of restrict land and houses and planned
Under the provisions of article (7) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2003, the commissioner organized the committee of registering lands, and
according the article (8) it should be responsible of:
(1) Register the ownership of every of affected and define it is nature.
(2) Solve the problems with owners, and register the invested and non-invested
governmental lands.
(3) Make the measurement and real spaces in Acre for each agricultural land.
(4) Solve all problems related to overlaps between governmental and nongovernmental lands, after check it by official records.
(5) Approve the registered lands sample issued by the commissioner.(15)
7.5 Housing restricting committee
Under the provisions of article (9) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2003, the commissioner established a special committee, it should take
care of:
1) Make the real measurement by sq meter for each of these houses.
2) The empty houses for more than six years.
3) The complete houses and not occupied by any of affected.
4) The complete houses and occupied by affected.
Moreover, the committee should find out the full information about the above houses in sides
of:
(1) Counting the number of rooms and services in each house.
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(2) Defined the type of material that used in constructed the house.
(3) Estimated the value of the house.
(4) Approved the special district sample issued by the commissioner.
(5) Any terms or other authorities issued by the commissioner.
7.6 Estimating the value of houses and compensation
Under the provisions of article (13) paragraph (39) from the list of compensation affected
people by the dam of Merowe for year 2003, the estimators should estimate the value of the
occupied and non-occupied houses according to the article (10) paragraph (3) after to be
districted.
Under the provisions of article (15) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2003, that compensation aims to achieve the following purposes:
(1) Compensation the affected by the dam of Merowe according to the factions
approved by the high political committee, under the procedures contained in the law.
(2) Encourage affected to complete deportation and resettlement proceedings ,and
help them to do that.(15)
Under the provisions of article (16) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2003, the compensation for the affected should be either financial or
ocular in such a manner that beneficiaries do not receive the two kinds of compensation.
Under the provisions of article (17) from the list of compensation affected people by the
dam of Merowe for year 2003,
(1) Officers paid financial compensation to the affected according to the latest census data.
(2) An official ID card will issued by the committee for each person for the purpose of
compensation.
(3) The financial compensation will be paid in premiums, pursuant to banker deeds, when
it’s time come.
Under the provisions of article (18) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2003, Restitution will be paid to those affected in accordance with the
same above items (1) and (2).
Depending on the field visit the committee found it difficult to distinguish between the houses
in old areas as most of them are similar and identical, so they distinguish between them by the
size of the house and number of rooms. So they put compensation for new house in the
resettlement depending to the following categories:
House categories contents of the house Description. of
in old area
in old area
house in old area
the Space of house at
Resettlement
A
Saloon+3 rooms
Big
25*30=750 msq.
B
Saloon+2rooms
Medium
25*25=625msq.
C
Less than medium
Small
Figure 18 Level of houses
25*20=500msq.
- 39 -
The houses distributed among the affected people in the resettlement area regarding the above
categories according to the census data for houses in that area, and the priority in distributing
should consider the following:
(1) The values of the house as it appear in the census data.
(2) The total space of the house.
(3) The number of affected people in each family. (15)
The compensation for the people who are living in the same area for (6) years and more:
Under the provisions of article (19) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2003, Compensation for the affected above will be as follows:
(1)
As a special case- according to the value determined by the commissioner if the
affected living in the same area for period less than (6) years.
(2)
According to the value of the house ,if it is un-occupied for more than (6) years
on to grants to give the meant affected parcel of empty land, specified it is area
according to the classifications of the house at old area, and it is market value
Under the provisions of article (20) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2003, for occupied and non- occupied houses as following:
(1) The owner of the non-occupied house should give the market value of the house,
beside an empty land in resettlement area, and its size determined according to the
classification of the land in the affected area.
(2) The owner of occupied house should gave another house in the resettlement area
if he agree to go there .And the value of the building in the old area will be estimated
according to the standard issued by the ministry of developmental planning in both
Nile ,and Northern states.
7.7 Progress of the Resettlement
Under the provisions of article (16) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2003,
(1) The commissioner has to determine the areas of resettlement, and he has to
improve and develop it.
(2) For the implementation of this law, the commissioner should determine the
environmental and artistic sides of those projects, and should notify the authorities to
take necessary action.
Division and specification of the resettlement area
(1) The area of resettlement should be divided by the committee in recommendation
from the Executive Director into parcels of lands according to it is nature and it is
purpose of uses.
(2) The committee after a recommendation of the Executive Director determined the
nature and uses of the lands before distributed lands.
Under the provisions of article (18) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2002,
(1) The commissioner announced specification each parcel of land in the
resettlement area with notifying the nature of the land and the way of specification.
- 40 -
(2) The above has the power of the law of measure criminals for the year 1983, and
it considers final after passage three months from delivery of the lands.
7.8 The Final arbitrators
Under the provisions of article (19) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2002:
(1) In case the owner of compensation did not accept the amount of compensation
he can go to the court organization and its decision should be finally.
(2) The tribunal is headed by judge, and representative of the (DIU), and
representative of the outstanding compensation.
(3) The decision of the court issued by the majority and it should define the amount
of compensation ,and the expenses followed the progress of the court ,and those who
should pay it
(4) The tribunal followed the same procedures by the civil procedure law for the
year 1983.
7.9 Categories of the compensation
According to the decision issued by the vice president of the republic they changed the
categories of the compensation as the following:
(1) Areas of resettlement in Almultaga for Hamdab group, Wadi almugadam for
Amri group, and Wadi almukabrab and some areas around the lake of the dam for
Almanasir group. There must be available substitutions choices for all the affected
people after they gave the priority to the specified group at each project.
7.10 The Residential areas and shops
The nature of the land in the resettlement area determined according to the housing plan in
both Nile, and Northern states, but the previous shops, and Residential lands in the old lands
should be as the same in resettlement areas.
For Houses built of straw: Every one who has a house of straw and has not got any
other house beside it, has a right to financial compensation instead of the destroyed straw
house ,and should get a parcel of land in the resettlement area and he should construct it
on his own expenses.
(1) The one who has complete house beside the straw one will only compensate in
cash for the straw one and will not get residential land.
- 41 -
7.11 Determination of the categories of compensation for the
houses and shops
The ways of determination the categories of the houses and other buildings in the affected
villages as following:
(1) The value of houses estimated according to it’s situation and the material that
used in construction, and should approved by the ministry of developmental
planning in both Northern and Niles states depending on the sizes of the houses and
the value of the building.
Identify categories of shops for houses and shops
Estimated in the same way as the estimation of the houses in the villages:
(1) Each owner of shop gave the same shop in the resettlement area to construct it
on his own expenses, in condition he has desire to go to the resettlement area.
(2) The government should established the services attached to resettlement area
accompanies with the improvement happened to the immigrants in resettlement areas.
The ways that followed in obstruction the compensation and specification the parcels of lands:
(1)
The compensation paid cash in six payments over six years, and the first
payment should pay before the affected leave their old areas.
(2)
Any of the houses owners in the affected area should get substituted house in the
resettlement area.
(3)
The affected who will lose their lands and homes under the water of the lake
they will not be ask to pay the differences in cost between their old housed ,and the new
houses in resettlement, and they should consider it as a gift from the government.
Under the provisions of article (26) from the list of compensation affected people by the dam
of Merowe for year 2003,
(1) Each of the affected should use the compensation of land (residential,
commercial or agricultural) in it is specific reason with in six months.
(2)
The decision of the commissioner they can disarmament the compensation
(residential, commercial or agricultural) if the owner did not use it in it is specific
reason with in six months.
7.12 Areas of Displacement
When determining the areas of displacement they should consider the following issues:
(1) The land should be enough to face all the needs of immigrants.
(2) The land should be enough for the agricultural project beside the residential one
so as to help the immigrants in their life.
(3) The Area should be acceptable by the immigrants in it is size of the land, and the
irrigation system at the agricultural projects.
(4) The immigrants should see the resettlement areas and accept it before they left
their old ones.(15)
- 42 -
8. Areas of resettlement (After the Dam)
8.1 New Alhamdab
The project of New Alhamdab is located in the northern state province of Aldaba in the west
bank of the Nile. The project is adjacent to the Nile and extends from the east to the west in an
area of (35,000 Acres) planned already (13,760 acres) from it in the first stage which is
enough to compensate the group of Alhamdab and the rest of the area considered as a future
expanded for the project. The project has strategic location which surrounded by national high
ways as from the northwest the high way of Shiryan Alshimal which started from Omdurman
and passed the city of aldaba till reaching Dongola the capital of the Northern state, and from
the southeast the project linked with the sub-road from Shiryan Alshamal high road towards
city of Merowe which make it links to the capital of the country, and the rest of the cities in
northern Sudan and the reasons which lead to choose this area as allocation for the project are:
(1) Enough of the land to face the compensation needs of the effected people.
(2) Enough of the land to established an agricultural project to serve the needs of the
farmers among the effected people.
(3) The acceptable from the effected people for the location for both sides of the
enough land for the future expanded, and the suitable irrigation system for the project.
And according to above directed the location of the project had been chosen beside the
available of the following:
• The nearest of the project to Shiryan Alshamal high way.
• The easiness of irrigation the project from the Nile.
• Enough of the land to face the compensation needs of the affective people and their
future needs as well.
• The nearest of the area from the local markets (Aldaba, and Qanati) as well as the
national markets (Dongola, and Khartoum).
• No natural differences between the resettlement area and the original ones in sides of
atmosphere and the same kinds of corps agriculture are possible.
8.1.1 Studies use of the characteristic of the soil:
(1)
Emptiness of the area from the ownership allegations, and other agricultural
reclamation.
(2)
The economic studies of the project and the allow ability to cultivate different
kinds of corps.
8.1.2 The Residential complex
Committee was established to put standards for chosen the nominating have fun among
geometric sides the labourer in domain of accumulated and designing the residential
complexes and villages, and the committee included six expertises7, and they advised 10 local
7
Prof.Abel rahman Alaqib,Prof.Daffala Alturabi,Prof.Seqayroun A. Seqayroun,Dr.Ahmed A.
Mohamed,Eng.Ahmed A. Abdalla,Eng.Mohamed A.
- 43 -
geometric offices8 for the competition to implementation this project .Only Four geometric
offices9 out of the ten companies group gifted in proposed.
The committee chose Buruj company for engineering and industrial investment to
design the residential complexes and the supervision of implementations ,and it justified it’s
decision for the full register of achievement in many of national projects such as Giad
industry city in Aljazeera state ,and the residential complex at Khartoum refinery in Khartoum
,as well as the committee allegation that the company offer was correspondence in both
financial ,and artistic to the criteria issued by the committee.
As for the field of the companies which are going to implement those residential
complexes, it was announcing about it in the daily news papers, and 82 companies were
interested in the work, and the specialized committee get the task of separation and it choose
18 company in the field of construction, and 5 companies in the field of water supply, and the
final choice was for four companies10 to implement the residential complexes, and the supply
of water.
8.1.3 The general planning of the villages- in New Alhamdab
8.1.3.1 The administrative village
Figure 19 View for the administration village at the resettlement area of New Amri.
All new villages have a sample of administrative village where the staff of the project live
and work. In a meeting with the agricultural manager of the New Al hamdab project (33),he
gave some information about the administrative village , according to the manger the village
is consist of (17) houses, (3) consider as (A) level and those are for the general managers of
the project, beside his assistances, every house of them contains of (4) rooms, and
hall,saloon,beside the kitchen, and two bathrooms, and the roof of the houses is from cement,
8
Buruj, Aldar Alistishariya, Almohandeseen Almimarein group, Markaz Altigana llistishrat Alhandasia,
karbiling engeneering, Eng.Abdlmoneim Mustafa, Neast Engeneering, Alheia Alistishariya le U of Kh, Hamdi
group consultant.
9
Bruj, Eng. Haydar M. Ali, Markaz Altigana llistishrat Alhandasia,,Almohandeseen Almimarein group.
10
Alnasr, Qasr Aloulou, the National Company for water equipment industry, Shiryan Alshimal.
- 44 -
beside three air conditions. In type A the sanitation system is a septic tank meanwhile in the
rest of the types sanitation system is the pit latrine. The rest of houses which are (14) consider
belong to category B they consist of two rooms, a saloon, kitchen, and two path rooms.
Houses roofs are made of galvanized metal sheets covered with wood from the bottom as a
ceiling, and they have only fans instead of the air conditions. Also there is a big house serves
as the quest house contains 4 VIP rooms, 6 normal rooms, two hall rooms and saloon.
Another saloon is connected to the quest house. Beside the residential part for the staff that
are working in the project there is the part for the administrative offices, where you can find
all offices and sections related to the administrative of the projects. There is an extra area
around the area of the administrative village to face the future expanded of the administrative
village.
8.1.3.2 The villages of New Alhamdab
The villages of New Alhamdab contains two villages for residential, and one as administrative
city, the whole planning includes the houses and the services complexes, beside the general
yards, and the markets, and governmental sectors. The most advantages of this design is:
(1)
Took in consideration the previous social environmental for the affected people.
(2)
Characteristics of the climate.
(3)
The future expands for the villages.
(4)
The location of the village comparing to the agricultural project, so as to make
the farmer reach his farm as quick as possible.
(5)
The national and sub-roads passing the villages.
(6)
The local equipments that used in constructing the villages.
(7)
The wooded belts and buffers of the wind.
Each village contains 300 houses differentiated in it areas, and equipped with the followings:
(1)
Prayers areas.
(2)
2 Primary schools, one for girls, and the second for boys.
(3)
2 High secondary schools, one for girls and the second for boys ( The
educational system consist of two stages in Sudan before entering the university-8 years
for the primary stage, and 3 years for the high secondary stage)
(4)
Local Hospital.
(5)
Cultural, and sport club.
(6)
Market.
(7)
Local Administrative building.
(8)
Water pipe lines.
(9)
General Yards
(10)
Electrical net.
The village divided into seven spaces, with different areas, As there are (15) houses with
(1200)m2,and a number of (24) with (900)m2,and (264) houses with (600)m2, each house
contains of a room with an area (19)m2,and saloon with(25,58)m2,beside the kitchen with an
area of (12)m2,as the building materials which used in constructing the houses were the red
bricks ,and the mud bricks, supplied from the galvanized sheets in substance insulating for
the heat.
- 45 -
About the prayers buildings they are located in the centre of the village, with a total area of
(4000) m2.the area of the mosque building in it is (2500) m2 followed by school for Quran
studies with an area of (77) m2, and an office (20) m2, beside an special small house for the
teacher of the school with an area of (20) m2. The design of the schools in away that observe
the nature of the community in that areas to distinguished between the schools of girls and
boys by the administrative offices, and each school has an area of (7600)m2,and it contains of
(8) classes each class has an area of (40)m2,and (5) teachers offices each office with
(20)m2,and two labs with an area of (40)m2,beside two rooms for the activities of student
(60)m2 for each of them, beside the yards for sports.
For the high secondary schools each school had an area of (6800)m2,each school has (6)
classes each of them has an area of (52,22),and two labs with an area of (57,4)m2,and two
activities room each one has an area of (104,4)m2,and four offices for the teachers each one
has an area of (24)m2,the fifth one(52)m2, and library (52)m2beside store(5)m2,and a prayer
yard (100)m2,beside the theatre (60)m2,and cafeteria with an area of (60)m2. Every village
supplied with a clinical centre provide the clinical services to the residence of the villages, and
the surrounding area, and it designed so as to face the future expanded with a total area of
(18,700)km2,and it contains of (3) clinics each one has an area of (25)m2,and (3) stories with
an area of (14)m2 for each, and a pharmacy (24)m2,beside the Laboratory (19)m2,and (2)
rooms for patient with a total area of (20)m2,and an office for the healthy education
(20)m2,and a waiting room (50)m2. In each village there is a cultural and sport club designed
to contain different kinds of activities served the community of the village. Cultural centres
can work as teaching places for children less than school, kindergarten , beside providing
places for elderly education .It contains office room (40) m2, and general library with an area
of (22) m2, and administrative office.
8.1.4 The health situation in the new area of Alhamdab
On 17-3-2007 I visited the small clinic of New Alhamdab at village number (3), where I met
with nurse assistance (30). He had served in the old area of Alhamdab. He declared that
situation here is much better comparing with the old area. For instance, now there is a
permanent and good looking building that creates a healthy environment. Moreover, there is
a doctor, beside a laboratory for medical analysis, and most of basic drugs are available and
small centre of surgery operations, but in emergency cases and if the cure is not available we
send the patient to the nearest hospital in the cities of Aldaba or Merowe.
Also at the same Clinic I met a doctor (36) who is responsible from the Alhamdab village (3)
Clinic, he started talking about the health situation in the area of new Alhamdab as the kinds
of illness are the same as all the rest of the country (Malaria, and Inflammation), and there is
no special illness can be related to the area. However, he noticed cases of diarrhoea, which he
relates it to the increased of flats in the area. In relations, to discovering a lot of cases among
the residences of the villages such as diabetes and hypotension he said he can not relate it to
the issue of immigration, agreed with the doctor who worked in the hospital of Amri.
However, he referred increase of the cases to the better health services now provided and the
raises of a awareness. The most frequent diseases are related to personal behaviour of the
residences as it contributed in polluting the environment, and caused illness. In answering
question, if there is any of illness caused by water he said ‘so far, no’
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At the same area of New Alhamdab, but at the village number (2), I met also with a doctor
(37), who works in the village clinic, he agreed with his colleague regarding the general health
situation. Concerning, the situation of malaria, and bilharzias in the new areas as it is a part of
an irrigation projects, he said the average of malaria cases is normal, and nil cases has
reported for the Bilharzias. About his view to the future health situation in the area depending
on his experience, he said he has not observed any un-normal indicators, expect the expecting
of the bilharzias need an early and proactive serious policies from the officials to struggle it
before it appears, which is not available now.
8.1.5 The Commercial activity in New Alhamdab
I visited the village number (3) in the New Alhamdab, where I went to the main market of the
village, a huge empty area in the centre of the village, it looks as it planned specially to be as a
market where there is a limited number of commercial units most of them were closed, and
the rest are working in the field of groceries, car repair, and bakery, beside a building
constructed from local building materials used as a cafe. There I met with an owner of a
grocery (34) in the same market, he started saying that he was working the same activity in his
previous old area where it was permit able to any one to construct any kind of commercial
unit any where and any time with out any legalisations from any of the officials. The only
expenses that he should pay is the cost of the buildings, which he could build it as he wants
according to his ability, he refereed this flexibility to the absence of competition among the
merchants. Even the customer him self has no objections to deal with whoever merchant that
can supply him with the goods, as the deal between them is limited in the necessary and basic
goods like Sugar, oils, wheat, soap, tea, .The electricity was used in for a very limited
purposes He produced it on his own expenses from the local agricultural pumps where the old
areas used the electrical refrigerators for the first time, and he used it only in selling cold
drinks. About the present market the owner of grocery said it started with depending on the
substituted the owners of the commercial old units in the old areas with new ones in the new
areas. He personally, bought this unit in the centre of the market, with an area of (12) m2,
from one of those affected people in (2005) paying him (9) million SP, and about this price he
said it was not possible to pay in the old areas to any of the commercial units any where. In
relations to the customer behaviours, the goods in his new grocery are totally different from
what were there in the old areas such as the, milk powder and biscuits, beside those which are
in the refrigerator like yoghurt, and chocolate, beside the milk, and cheese. About the way of
paying he said the customers are paying cash and continuously with out connecting with the
agricultural seasons like before. Also he thinks the concentrations of the residences in the new
areas helped much in increasing his sales. Answering a question about the general situation in
the whole market he said there is a few cases of rent in the same location with a cost estimated
between (60,000-70,000) SP per month, which he described it as an activity that was not
available at all in the old areas. I noticed also a number of commercial units in the market
belong to a governmental sectors (Alzakat) and the cost for rent 100,000 SP per month. The
governmental units are easily distinguished from other commercial units in the market since it
is constructed from cement and the roof itself is from cement, and it is size looks bigger in
size (16) m2, comparing to others.
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Figure 20 Sample of Alzakat commercial units governmental sector - New Amri market.
One of the residence (30) who is from the same village add that some of the residence in the
village who have distinguished sites are constructed commercial units in their own houses,
and rent it with a cost of 60,000-70,000 SP per month to those who hasn’t got the same sites
or to those who hasn’t got house and live with their relatives and had a desire to work in the
same field.
In the village number (2) at New Alhamdab I met with one of the residence (32) who is
working in the bakery of the village he said there is about (6) commercial units with an area of
(12) m2, working in different fields of activities. Rent of these units ranges between 60,000100,000 SP per month which was not available in their old areas at all. In the same market I
met with an owner of a grocery, his opinion were the same as the one whom I met in the
village number (3). There is about another (15) grocery distributed in the village and some of
their owners deal with merchant as the first time.
8.1.6 Real estate activities in New Alhamdab areas
Some of those whom I met in the village number (2) at New Alhamdab areas like the
one who is working in the bakery (32) told me in a lower voice (which mean he is not sure)
that there is about (3-6) of cases, for families who sold their houses with a prices estimated by
(30) million SP. And he described these cases as compelled as those families faced a lot of
problem and they find it better to sell their houses and buy another ones with a lower prices in
the surrounding area, but the cases were not repeated though, the residences were asked some
times by others if they want to sell their houses. In the side of the agricultural projects one of
the residence (30) said that there is about (3-4) cases for people who sold their agriculture
lands to people from the same village or out side it, and the price for an area of (6) acre was
estimated with (25) million SP, while it was only (6) million SP before the cultivated, and he
agreed that there is some people who were asking about lands or houses in the area to buy it.
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8.2 Almukabrab
The project which was constructed for the affected group of Almnasir, is located in the Nile
state, northern of the capital Khartoum about (300) km southeast of Aldamer city about 10
km. Only (5) km west of Nile, it is surrounding by Gandail project (Saudi agricultural
investment) from the south, and Jordan agricultural project (investment for Jordon) from the
east, and by a local agricultural project from the north. The project is crossing by the main
high way linked the capital of the country with the main port in the red sea. Almukabrab
project is considered as the biggest one in the area comparing with other resettlement projects
like Alhamdab, and New Amri. The agricultural project has an area of (60,000) Acers, with a
major channel extends for a distance of (24) km. The Artistic study use for the project is held
by the consultative organization for university of Khartoum, which is going also to supervise
the constructed of the project throw, its all stages. The Chinese company for electricity and
water (CWE) will establish the two main irrigation pumps on the Nile, and the irrigation
channels will constructed by a local company called (Danfodio) as sub-contract for the
(CWE).
8.2.1 The Advantage of the location of the Project:
(1)
Near to the main two cities of Atbara, and Aldamer.
(2)
The project is crossing by the main high way between the capital Khartoum,
and Port Sudan, the main port of the country in the red sea.
(3)
The national net electricity towers crossing the area of the project.
(4)
The petrol pipe lines crossing nearby the project.
(5)
The project is near to the air port of Atbara makes it easy to export the product
of the project.
(6)
Availability of communications network in the area of the project.
(7)
Availability of markets around the project in the cities of Khartoum, Atbara,
Aldamer, and Port Sudan.(10)
8.2.2 System of Irrigation in the project
The project of Almukabrab has a modern system of irrigation starting from the two main
pumps on the Nile, and the main channel of irrigation with the length of (24) km, and the
following sub-channel (20th, and 6th) similar to system of irrigation in all Sudanese irrigated
projects .The project is divided into spaces each of them has an area of (6) acres similar to the
system in other resettlement projects.
8.2.3 Villages of Almukabrab:
Almukabrab villages are considered as the biggest among the villages of the resettlements
areas. Hence, the affected people of Almanasir who are expected to occupy this area is
considered as the biggest ethnic group among the affected people. The project is contains of
small five villages, beside the main village.
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8.3 The New Amri Project
It consists from (5) villages including the administrative one, number (3) Pertained for the
affective people from Um dras,Alargoub,algananeem,and Dar Alarab, which is the biggest
one and they considered it as the capital of the group it contains of (1072) house, while the
rest , villages 1( consider as the administrative village), 2( Pertained for the affective people
from the old areas of Eshesheeb,mice,and gumra , 4 for affective from Alshakura, ,Algeliaa,
Um seref, and kanati, 5 for the affective from Amri island, and Amri East) each of them
consists of (648) houses.
8.3.1 Services in the village (3):
(1)
(2)
(3)
Hospital.
Two primary schools for boys and also two primary schools for girls.
Two high secondary schools, one for boys and the second for girls.
8.3.2 Services in the rest of the Villages:
(1)
(2)
Instead of the Hospital each villages has Clinical centre.
Each village has a primary school one for boys and the second for the girls.
8.3.3 The Advantages in the New Amri:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
The Villages are connected by a road to the main high way
The Villages are near to the main markets in Merowe, Khartoum, and Atbara.
More geographical spaces comparing to the old Lands.
Accumulation of villages helps in producing services.
Services of education, and health.
The planning of villages is more modern than before in old areas.
The availability of water, and electricity services.
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8.3.4 The health situation in the New Amri
Figure 21 Health services at New Amri resettlement area.
In the new village of New Amri I met on 17-3-2007 with one of the doctors (38) at the main
hospital in the village number (3), he started saying that the cost of health care was too much
and far away in the old areas, and the people used not to go to hospital unless in cute cases.
With regards, to the health situation in the new areas he described it to be stable, and there is
no any of appearance of diseases that can be connected or related to the issue of immigration
Diseases in the area are rather found to be as the same as the rest of the whole country, as a
justification for the discovering of many cases of (Diabetes, and hypotension) among the
citizens he returns it to the new health care that they found in the new areas, which mean they
were already have those diseases before they left their old areas but they were not aware of it.
The doctor declared that the hospital is ready to deal with different kinds of cases and illness
including surgery operations. According to him the people will not need to go to any of
hospitals in the surrounding areas in cute cases expect to Khartoum. The New Amri hospital is
equipped with an ambulance services .And for expected diseases, whether they may going to
appear in the area according to his experience, he said no thing can be noticed or expecting
expect the bilharzias as the villages are a part of a big irrigated agriculture project as the
environment is a suitable for such disease to appear if the officials’ don’t struggled it from the
beginning.
8.3.5 The Commercial activity in the New Amri
During my visit to the villages of New Amri specifically the village number (3), which is
distinguished like other villages in the area with it is wide street, and houses, beside the lack
of trees which make it as a desert and dry environmental full of dust as the whole area of
northern Sudan especially in summer times. I went to the market of the village, which is
located in the centre of the village in a huge area where the commercial units distributed along
the market every one work in his field with out observation of the planning authorities. Where
the most of buildings are constructed from local building materials, like wood and straw as the
owners themselves do not even try to change it as they hear the location of the market is
temporary and officials are planning to construct another one in anther area just near to the
present one.
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Figure 22 the market at New Amri resettlement area.
As a sample for the commercial activity in the area I met with an owner of a grocery (39) in a
part facing the main market only crossing the main road linked the village with other villages,
and with Shiryan Alshimal main high way. The grocery looks better than the others from the
other side of market as it is constructed from bricks. The grocery has two doors, which is
advantage for the standard of the grocery in the common opinions about groceries in the
Sudan. He talked about his experience as movable and un-stable merchant in the old areas as
any one has a right to construct, and own a grocery any where he wants. Concerning, his
present shop in the new area he said he rent it from the owner of the house paying him
(75,000) SP11 per month which wasn’t available at all in the old areas. Furthermore, he
highlighted conditions related to his new shop, which becomes full of different kinds of
goods, he thinks that groceries in the capital of the country (Khartoum) are not better than it.
Concerning the flow of the work he thinks it is growing, and he is waiting for the more when
the progress of resettlement to the area completed.
11
Sudanese Pounds
- 52 -
Figure 23 Sample of commercial activity in New Amri market.
The above sample considered as an example for the activity held by the residences, and can
be noticed easily while walking inside the villages. Inhabitants start to construct commercial
units inside their houses to rent it, or use it by themselves as an extra income for them. Any
how and what ever the reason was the construction by the residences show the increase of
demand for the commercial units in the area, even there is a governmental sector constructed
some commercial units inside the market of the village ,and it rent it according to some of
those who talked to me with ( 150,000-200,000) SP per month.
8.3.6 The Real estate activity in New Amri
Some of those whom I met said they heard about some cases about families who sold their
houses, but it is not confirmed, and this returned to the present stability for the resettlement in
the area of Amri (2006) comparing to New Alhamdab.
8.4 The sanitation system in the new resettlement areas
There are two kinds of sanitation systems established in the new resettlement areas and those
two systems are:
8.4.1 Pit Latrine
The Pit latrine is an on-site dry sanitation system. The on-site sanitation systems store or treat
human excreta at the source of generation. Dry sanitation can be defined as on –site disposal
of human waste with out the use of water as a carrier. (11). the pit latrine is the most common
method of sanitation in the new resettlement areas. The tip latrine is a cheap option in
comparison septic and public sewer systems. It based on a drop-and-store system, which can
be very simple and low cost, a pit latrine sanitation system requires access to open land and
digging of a new pit every few years.
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Some of the main disadvantage of this system stated as follows, the hole in the ground is
accessible to flies and mosquitoes, which can transmit diseases over a wide area. The pits leak
pollutants into the ground even in dry soil. Although man improved models of the pit latrine,
adopted in many of developing countries the most serious drawback of pit latrine remains that
is the risk of ground water pollution. It is either impossible to mitigate this risk when it occurs
or the required mitigation measure will be costly in fiscal terms.
Figure 24 Pit Latrine, built on the drop-and-store approach.
8.4.2 Septic tank
Septic tanks are only feasible for a small portion of the population in the new resettlement
area (the city dam, some houses in the administrative village’s houses in both New Alhamdab
and, New Amri) because of their relatively high cost comparing to previous sample. It
considers as one of the luxury available services in the new resettlement areas. These systems
consist of a sealed tank with inlet and outlet. Excreta are flushed into the tank from a
conventional cistern flush toilet. Solid are settled in the tank and undergo an aerobic
decomposition resulting in the production of the water, gases, sludge, and a layer of floating
scum. The effluent is commonly into the ground using a soakage pit or trench. The tank is
pumped out when full and the waste is ideally trucked to a wastewater treatment
plant.Alternatively, it can be simply dumped. Ground water is pollution is a serious
disadvantage of this approach. (12)
8.5 The advantages of the new areas
•
There is a good chance for education, which helps maximum number of the
people to participate in it
•
The health services are available and better than the old ones.
•
Availability of huge areas for agriculture and the available lands for the future
expanded.
•
The concentration of the people makes it easier to provided services to them.
•
The nature of the buildings and their design are more modern and attractive.
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•
The availability of the electricity and water services.
•
The planning of the new villages and their designs and the central location of the
available services for the all people created a kind of justice between the people.
•
From commercial point of view, commercial activities in the new resettlements
are is more profitable, and in the future it is going to be better when the progress of
immigration completes.
•
Despite some hinders related to resettlements process farmers believe the
income from the agricultural income is better than the old areas.
8.6 Disadvantages in Amri, and New Alhamdab
•
There are some agricultural lands which are not flat and not cultivated, the
irrigation channels do not help in flow the water.
•
The water in the villages are not healthy and some of the residence described it
as salty and limy, causes heats and diarrhea cases, even some of residences prefer to
drink from the irrigation channels than the water pipes.
•
The affected people who have a right in compensation of only land not houses,
have a full right in the way that they want with out limited to the planning or design
which is dominant in the villages.
•
The present houses do not have a semi shade areas (locally called verandas),
which were very important in their old areas.
•
There are some problems concerning the amount and kind of compensation
although it makes a lot of people refused to leave their old area to the new ones.
•
The health services were not available as it was expected.
•
The high schools don’t started yet although the buildings are existing
•
Many of interview refers their suffering to emotional reasons as missing of their
homeland rather, in some extremes some people uses this point of view to reject the
project as whole.
•
The DIU allegations about the cost of the houses are not confides to them.
•
Some believe that their original land was more fertile and productive.
•
Some afraid from the mix social and culture in the new areas as it well
connected with different areas.
•
Different statements from officials about compensations make create a lot of
problems.
•
The services of water and electricity make people pay more expenses from their
limited income.
•
There some people who trying to hide the problem of the new areas and show it
as good thinks to please the DIU
•
Some of the residences think that the simple abilities in the old areas were facing
with simple needs. And the difference in moving to new areas with the fixed income
make them faced the problems of providing the daily modern life needs like gas,
electricity, and water.
•
Drinking water is available for only three hours in the local network, distributed
between the parts of the villages. Some time for two days.
- 55 -
I went to the agricultural manager of New Alhamdab project (33) at his office the
administrative village at Alhamdab ,I talked to him about the opposition opinions that I
gathered from the farmers in the new projects ,he started saying when they said the land
beside the Nile in their old areas is better and more fertile than here in the new areas they are
true but we gave them (3) Acres as substitution for each Acres they have in their old areas and
we choose (3) according to scientific studies ,not by accident. Furthermore, project
administration found it very difficult to explain for the people in the first days of immigration
their space of land ,because in most cases it was so bigger than they can understand, About
the opinion of some farmers about the product of the land he said from experience they found
a big different in the amount of production between the farmer who get a cash compensation
and those who did not ,as he believe that those who did not get a cash compensation work
harder than those who get for that they produced more and better than others. Regarding the
mean of production in the project by Acres, he said that it grows from year to year, and as an
example for the crop of wheat the mean production for last three years was as following:
First harvest
2004
(5) Jawal
Second harvest 2005
(9)
Third harvest
2006
(11)
Present harvest 2007
(15) Expected
Figure 25 Level of production at New Alhamdab Project
And when they talk about the ventilation of the land it is logical to be un fertilized ,he said it
is something naturally as it is virgin land , they only started to use it three years ,and the land
is loosing (3) factors from the main factors to be fertilized as they use it for the first time ,and
they are going to gain those factors year by year, and about those who said the project is
sharing some other project it boarder he said that was necessary because it was very important
from the beginning to established the resettlement project within the Northern, and Nile states
as those two states where suffering already from the immigration to an extend their
population is less than (500,000). Majority of those states population has left to other areas,
which make it very important for the planners to make this project here in side the two states
to participate in stopping the flow of immigration of the people.
- 56 -
9. Discussion
Our research project discussed the complications of resettlement operations which are highly
expensive and require efficient administrative system in order to arrange and establish
projects that would be beneficial for resettled population. This thesis aims to take the
experiment of Merowe dam in Sudan as an example for resettlement operations, and we
discussed the reflection of constructing the dam in resettlement areas as well as its influence
on the neighbouring cities. A controversial point lies in the feasibility of the project itself,
despite the multiple and deep studies, that have been conducted since the emergence of the
idea and planning in mid of 1940s until the end of the studies by the 1970s and 1980s. Until
the following studies in the beginning of this century when the real implementation of the
dam construction and its accumulative projects started to take place in parts of the River Nile,
and Northern states.
In recent studies, a considerable opposition to the whole project building started to appear.
The main reason behind those voices was the risk involved in the dams being a major hazard
to the environment. Based on studies from several quarters spearheaded that the World Bank
stopped funding for dams constructions because of the believes that dams may affect the
environment negatively. This idea is also supported because of the previous experience of the
Nubian population groups in the north of Sudan in 1964, when they uprooted from their
homes following the establishment of the high dam in Egypt. The Nubian affected by the high
dam has been deported to other areas within the Sudan, hundreds of kilometres away from
their place of origin. Thus, the Nubian has been suffering different climates and environments
than accustomed, besides, losing of their belongings and properties. Valuable properties have
been lost such as their lives in the River Nile and Palm, which constitute the base of the
Nubian life style. This makes them so far chanting the voices longing, homesickness and
stories about the conspiracy that they were exposed to uproot them from their roots and
deported them to new areas with endemic diseases. As a result to this scenario the Nubian
have widely rejected their assigned immigrated land and left it again after forty years to other
places seeking for safe and basic services. Moreover, the feasibility of the dam is questioned
because, in the present project, the cost was more than two billion USD for the body of the
dam and its resettlements projects in both agricultural and residential lands. Main contribution
of the dam in economical term will be constituted in 1250 megawatts production of
electricity. Taking into account the availability of energy alternatives less expensive and more
productive represented at the sources of wind and solar energy. Furthermore, the nuclear
energy in the future while voices calling over the world asking for their right to benefit from
the nuclear energy for peaceful purposes especially electricity. In comparison with the Sudan,
the neighbouring country, Egypt decided not to construct dams after the incidence of the flood
that resulted of the high dam construction in 1971 in spite the needs for energy.
9.1 Real Estate activity in the cities of Merowe and Karima
Through the field visit and the feasibility of information about the reflections of the Merowe
dam construction on both cities of Merowe and Karima12. The negative impacts of the dams
are now well known. The Merowe dam and its accumulative projects will have many positive
impacts on the cities including construction of internal and external roads and bridges which
12
as they are the largest urban concentrations located near the dam
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link the two cities to each other. Both of Merowe and Karima occupy a strategic position.
They have other social amenities beside the facilities such as hospitals, colleges and airport.
These positive impacts often recognized as important factors for the development in the real
estate economics, which shows positive impact in the real estate market of these cities. As it
started from the demand for housing plans and plots over five years or less since the actual
beginning of the implementation of the dam till it completed changed from few requests to
many. For example, unpopular plots in the period between1987 and 1997 turned to be highly
popular by 2000 to the extend that plots are not enough for the requested applications. As a
result of the dramatic increase in the plot marketing activities, three real estate agents have
been established with special focus in sale and rent of real estate property, among these two is
in Karima and one in Merowe. Furthermore, a considerable working force is involved in the
brokerage sectors. This might give an indicator of the active marketing and the increasing
demand on the real state sector. However, emerging brokerage sector is still characterized by
its unauthorized and illegally controlled nature. Hence, brokers have no obligation towards the
authorities to acquire licence or a permanent address. Other sectors, such as lawyers witnessed
movement in sale and renting lands and documenting contracts, as one of the attractive
commercial activities as it generated good income for high number of lawyers in both cities.
For example, in 2006 the lawyer in Karima city completed 170 agreements out of thousands
that been completed by other lawyers in Karima. The prices of land and existing houses have
also been increased, for both selling and renting. Previously, rent prices do not exceed in the
best condition 100,000 SP per month, but now it reached 1,500,000 SP per month in some
cases for companies leased in the region. The real estate sale market developed prices
increasing similar to the rent prices, where land prices didn’t exceeds one million pounds
before, but now it reached 20 million SP.
In spite of the poor performance of the hotel sector has also developed a significant change.
For instance, the only hotel in Merowe city (which can hardly be called a hotel), has
developed a gradual increase in activity after its establishment two decades ago. The owner of
the hotel (20) reiterated the importance of the increase in turn over and he is at the verge of
establishing a new one because of the obvious benefits. These indicators evidence that
recognized development has been achieved in this sector. Furthermore, other several motels
owned by the government in the city of Merowe, which by one way or another have played a
role in the hotel sector development.
To extend with the above, dramatic changes in different sectors were simultaneously
accompanied by development in the transportation sector. Available transportation services
were developed because of new roads and increases in job opportunities to and from the areas
around the dam multiplying numbers of travels within the region. Even the number and
brands of cars have changed in parallel with the existence of the dam since the mobility within
and outside the region has increased. In addition, the access to the most important towns is
now feasible in a shorter time. For example the trip to Khartoum now takes four hours instead
of 12 hours previously took. The resettlement areas were represented in the villages and areas
of New Alhamdab and New Amri in addition to Almukabrab. The construction of the dam
had led to create model villages which were totally different in form, design and planning than
in the old areas. In the old villages mud houses were longitudinally extend along the Nile,
with no regards to physical and spatial planning. New villages were designed according to a
better planning, by which a reasonable situation for housing and agricultural activities is
available for citizens. Nevertheless, the field visit along with the presented images confirm
that this change may be well appreciated, if it is just been compared to the previous situation.
However, a whole through and professional judgings will render the new villages to be still
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poor from a modern planning point of view. In particular, no much respect has been devoted
to the beauty of the designs. Furthermore the materials that have been used were not of
acceptable quality even for the street man. Low quality of design and material has been
manifested in some houses where the owners had to do some building or renovations within
only two years life span.
This scenario raises question related to the commitment for a real competition in the bidding
for these buildings. These problems emerged in houses have been solved by owners, who
made building extensions on both amateur and the manner without consulting engineers or
checking the original plan for the house construction. Moreover, some residence wanted to
establish their garages for extramural home in the form that prejudice the general design of the
villages. Add to this, the distribution scheme for the villages which had been through
electricity poles which spread inside the villages in a way that takes much of the beauty of the
villages and may expose to the danger in the future.
Figure 26 Examples of extensions made by residents to meet their needs (garages)
Figure 27 Electricity poles scattered randomly inside the villages of New Amri
- 59 -
A problem that is been addressed now in the country’s capital itself is the need to replace the
old connection method with much safer ground cables. Although the villages have been
totally designed and built from scratch, the same mistake has happened and the same problem
is hanging for a solution. In addition, the market of New Amri city has been designed poorly
and not in the right place therefore people kept talking about moving the market for the
second year, beside the unhealthy environment of the market since it consists of a number of
stables
Figure 28 Example of a unit built by residents without referring to the Master Plan
Finally, by screening out the general environmental situation in these villages indicate poor
environmental situation since there is no signs for a waste handling system.
Figure 29 Waste around the villages in the new resettlement areas in New Amri.
- 60 -
Other serious issue comes with the sanitation system as villages rely either on pit latrine or septic
sanitation systems. Both system are considered risky from public health point of view and pose a
serious hazards as they contaminate the underground water reserves. In another manifestation of
breach balance between cost and quality instead of this model villages prepared by the enormous
population as start point for modern sanitation system is supposed to be model followed in all
parts of the Sudan now turn on the road to environmental disaster was preceded by many parts
of the Sudan all this and the statements and interpretation the responsible authorities to justify
continuing the depending on the pit latrine system rather than the water borne sanitation is that
the introduction of the water borne sanitation to this areas will not match the behaviour in this
areas and the inhabitants will not be adapted to these system.
The vegetation within villages is still early to judge but the field visit explained that there is a
level of reforestation in the New Alhamdab rather than the New Amri this could be explained
by the fact that Amri is newer than the New Alhamdab. This indicates that the time may be
enough to increase tree cover in these villages which as a whole consider as a part of the
desert. The reality, however so far doesn’t reflect a real efforts towards this aspect.
Figure 30 Reforestation activities at the new resettlements areas.
9.2 Conclusion
Depending on the discussion chapter we can get to the abstracts serve as early answers for the
questions raised in the beginning of this research pending completion of the project in its final
and given the opportunity of the perpetrators and people alike to give all aspire to do.
(1)
Dam management succeeded in creating model villages confined praise
where it created a better situation in terms of form and the planning areas that have
attended compared to the old areas where the immigrants came from.
(2)
New villages where there are unprecedented services for residents of the
region in the electricity, water, schools and health facilities, and the challenge in
providing cadres and aids that help run these facilities.
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(3)
The so-called the city dam although its small size and the number of
houses represented in the form of general a model non available in each of the finest
cities in the Sudan.
(4)
The dam and its accumulative projects in both cities of Merowe and
Karima succeeded in creating new and attractive economic realities which has a
beyond in areas continued over the past decades leaving not receiving.
(5)
The dam construction was an evident in the activation of real estate
activity in both cities of Merowe and Karima, and creation of attractions that has made
real estate business attractive.
Activities in general in the area as a focal point for many sectors of the population
in the neighbouring areas who search for work and services.
(6)
Longing and private feelings to the old areas represented deep feeling for
the most of the opposition to the resettlement areas, and by the some of them use it as
interceptions for the whole project, although the new villages with its planning and
services in general exceeds all what was available for the people in their old areas.
(7)
Objecting resident’s resettlement areas not exceeding personal
differences, and the amount and quality of compensation due to each affected not
tantamount to opposing the project as whole.
(8)
The form and design of buildings in new villages not planning does not
provide an encouraging follower in the rest of the villages, or motivate the rest of the
Sudan to fellow it because it is a part on the whole tragedy of the Sudanese real estate.
(9) Designed villages didn’t address the fundamental dilemmas faced by the
Sudanese architecture aspects electric connections and sanitation.
(10) The villages environment are still poor in aspects of environmental health and
reforestation projects ,and still waiting for real projects promote these aspects.
(11) Companies implementing these villages and areas with their governmental
orientations open the door to the question about the sincerity of stakeholders in
creating real competition between companies in the interest of the Sudanese people
rights and their environment.
(12) The field visits to new resettlement areas explained the fact that there are
problems that immigrants experienced and are ready to explode unless the responsible
authorities seek to resolve them.
9.3 Lessons learnt
Based on the findings from this study, it is appropriate to take some measures into
consideration in order to avert the any unforeseeable circumstances that may be brought about
as a result of the problem under consideration. The following observations would be
appropriate to curb the situation. In the first place, it is of great importance to involve the
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target population in all phases of the project to let them feel the change gradually and to
accept their new reality.
It is also recommended that proposed choices for corporate internal and external companies
for the service of the population and environment in relation to specification and collaboration
among others should be established or at least encouraged among the local firms to strengthen
their capacity.
Devising strict regulations in the future concerning real estate projects in aspects of planning
for water, electricity and sanitation which should be updated and upgraded with global
development progression is another way by which the problem could be solved.
There is also the need to reduce the high cost of real estate facilities in the Sudan regions in
comparison with the neighbouring countries in order to raise the Sudanese economy and
thereby creating a healthy environment for the inhabitants.
It should strive to change the prevailing pattern of real estate in the Sudan, which make it one
of the most impoverished of he world in this area.
Above all, there is a need for the accurate planning in the developmental projects in relation to
feasibility and cost.
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References
Sudan, Northern and, Nile states
(1) www.wekibidia.com
River Nile
(2) www.wabsitel.com/odyssey/week1/nile
(3) www.multimedia-publishing.com/nile_river
The Dam and its previous studies, and accumulative projects.
(4) www.merowedam.gov.sd
(5) www.lameyer.de/d/units
Dams and social cost benefits
What is social cost?
(6) www.web.mit.edu/d.lab/assignment-files/DISCARE
(7) www.panda.org/aboutwwf/what we do
World commission on dams
(8) www.irn.org/wcd/
Resettlement and social cost benefits
(9) www.afdb.org/pls/portal/docs/page/ADB_ADMIN_PG
Advantage of new resettlement areas.
(10)www.sudaneseonline.com/cgi-bin/sdb/2bb.cgi?seq=msg&board=6&msg= paper
(11) www.who.int/pdf.
(12) www.sanicon.net/
Interviewees
Abdel gadir Mohamed Abdelgadir-owner of hotel at Merowe market-(20)
Ahmed Mohamed Ali-transportation agent at Merowe market-(21)
Mudathir Mohamed Ahmed-manager of land director at Merowe city-22
Ikhlas Abu-rida-lawer at Merowe market- 23
Salah Numir-real eastate office at Merowe market-24
Mohamed Abdalla-land regesteration manager-city of Merowe -25
Ali Mohamed Almahi-land manager-city of Karima -26
Esam Shorbagi-lawer-city of Karima -27
Haytham Hassan Khatim-real estate agent office-city of Karima.-28
Suhaib Alrumi-land register manager-city of karima -29
Osman Mohamed Ali-nurse assistance-new hamdab clinic-no-3-17.3.2007 -30
Mohamed Ibrahim-residence of an old area of Alhamdab – (31)
Alsir Abu-zeid Alsheikh Mohamed Ali-residence of new alhamdab-no-317.3.2007 – (32)
Eng.Salah Ahmed Mahgoub-agricultural manager of alhamdab project-new alhamdab
17.3.2007- 33
Gazafi Magzoub-merchant at new alhamdab market-17.3.2007 -34
Mohamed Suliman Alata-residence of new Amri-no-3 -17.3.2007 -35
Dr.Osman Mohamed Alhassan-clinic of new Alhamdab-no-3-36
Dr.Mutaz Mohamed Hamid-clinic of new Alhamdab-no-2-37
Dr.Asham-alla Abdalla-clinic of new Amri.-38
Awad Ali Hamid-merchant at new Amri market-17.3.2007 – (39)
Younis Ahmed Mohamed-new Alhamdab-no.3 – (40)
Abdelhalim Mohamed Sid-amed-new Amri-no-3- 17.3.2007-(41)
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Magazine:
. (14) Merowe dam magazine, year5, no.40.novem 2006.
Books:
(13) The new Alhamdab and moving experience –Alhadi Mansour,and Altag
Osman- Dam implementation unit issues series no (15)(15) Manual compensation and resettlement- Dam implementation unit issues
series no (6)-commision of environmental and social affairs-
(16) Paper from locality of Merowe.
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