Lawyers in Sudan’s oil producing state of West Kordofan intend to file a lawsuit against oil companies and the national Ministry of Energy and Mining over negligence and weak safety standards.

Lawyer Suleiman Salman told Radio Tamazuj that they have already began to sue the Ministry, and will bring two cases to court.

“We are going to separate the issue of the affected workers at the Beleila oil fields from the general effect on the local community caused by pollution due to oil extraction in the area,” he said.

Sudan’s Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mining Mekkawi Mohamed Awad previously downplayed the emission of dangerous radiation at the Beleila oil field in West Kordofan.

Abdul-Jabbar Abdullah, a member of Energy and Mining Specialized Committee in Sudan’s National Legislative Assembly, told Radio Tamazuj that a field visit to the site where they observed evidence of radiation emitted from the fields prompted them to summon the Minister of Energy to explain the matter.

Abdullah said they were reassured by the minister, and called on citizens to move away from the oil fields to avoid risks.

Abdullah urged the West Kordofan Follow-Up Committee to address any dangers that could be caused by the radiation.