Census chief expects southerners to number 20 percent of families

November 17, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – The Chairman of the Central Agency for Statistics, Yassin Al Haj Abdin, said that the percentage of southern Sudan families reached 20% of all the families of Sudan.

Abdin issued his statement in response to the final report of the south-south Sudanese political parties dialogue, which took place in Juba, November 8 to 13.

The southern parties declared that “Southern Sudan reserves the right to accept or reject results of the census.” They recommended, “in case of rejection of the census results, Southern Sudan shall maintain its present status – 1/3 of Sudan’s population until proper census is conducted.”

Yet Abdin foresaw that southerners would account for only 20% of the census results, with the acceptance rate of increase or decrease that does not exceed two percent.

He further added that the result of the census will be handed to the concerned authorities by the end of December, and the final results would be announced at the end of February next year.

Last week the southerners “noted with great concern the difficulties faced by the census process, especially factors that may affect the results. These difficulties and short comings have been acknowledged and documented by various institutions including the National Census Council.

The most recent U.N. estimate for Sudan’s population is 37.8 million but the numbers are difficult to verify because of Sudan’s huge internal displacement and also tens of thousands of Sudanese who have fled fighting over the years to neighbouring countries.

The fifth Sudan Population and Housing Census, a milestone in the implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was conducted from 22nd to 30th April 2008. It was the first all inclusive census for people of southern Sudan since Sudan became independence in January 1956.

(ST)