The General Authority for Rehabilitation Projects and Agricultural Development in the Ministry of Agriculture has decided to cancel an auction held on lands which belonged to Nubians, which was due to take place on Sunday.
The decision comes in response to protests held in front of the ministry on the same day, held by Nubian movements and activists.
The protests included people from the Egyptian Nubian Organisation for Lawyers alongside other Nubian movements and rights activists.
Upon hearing the decision of cancelling the auction, the head of the Egyptian Nubian Organisation for Lawyers Munir Bashir told MENA that the decision doesn’t solve the Nubian problems “entirely”, adding that a deal between Nubians and the state ensures that no auctions should be held on selling any lands around the Nasser lake.
The lands were inhabited by Nubians until 1963, when they were displaced so that the High Dam could be built.
Nubians have been calling for the right of returning to their lands once again, and they have reached a deal that none of the aforementioned lands could be sold before a law managing their return is issued.
Bashir added that his organisation has submitted a draft law which manages the process of selling lands which had belonged to Nubians to the cabinet, asking of interim Prime Minister Kamal Al-Ganzoury to issue that law within 15 days, only to find the cabinet announcing the investors’ auction.
