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Sudanese Diaspora Community in Norway
Submitted in Oslo, NORWAY
A Petition to the National Elections Commission via the Sudan Embassy in Norway
02/12/2009
Sudanese Citizens in the Diaspora Denounce Disenfranchisement during Voter
Registration for the General Election due to the Unlawful Decisions of the National
Elections Commission (NEC) of The Sudan
We, the Sudanese Citizens in the Diaspora in Norway, aware of our rights and duties and
upholding of basic freedoms as enshrined in:
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), 2005
The Interim National Constitution of the Republic of the Sudan, 2005
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Article 13
The International Convention on Civil and Political Rights
In pursuit of democratic principles that requires leadership over the people which is
endorsed or elected by popular participation of the People through periodic election,
Recognizing that Sudan will soon call its citizens to exercise their rights in the
mandatory election in April 2010, as required by the CPA and provided for by the Interim
National Constitution, the Interim Constitution of South Sudan and the National Election
Act of 2008; We protest strongly several violations of the mentioned laws by the NEC.
It is the desire of Sudanese citizens in the Diaspora to have the elections held on time
and in accordance with the CPA that clearly stresses the amendment of all laws that
do not promote democratic transformation in the Sudan — prior to any election
process. This is crucial for any credible, free and fair election.
The Sudanese Diaspora Community in Norway was dismayed by the initial list of
countries NEC approved to participate in the registration and subsequent voting exercise.
The initial Diaspora list, which included Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain, UK, US and Belgium was an
NCP-slanted and biased NEC decision that excluded the registration of many aspiring
voters from the Southern and marginalised regions.
Other countries right at the doorstep of the Sudan, such as Kenya, Uganda and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to mention just a few, were initially
excluded. After serious concerns were raised by the Sudanese in the Diaspora, the NEC
added Kenya, Uganda, Canada, South Africa and Malaysia as registration locations.
We the Sudanese Diaspora in Norway consider this decision extremely biased,
seriously noting that there is an urgent and equitable need to add more countries as
registration points. The current Voter Registration process has shown noticeable and
serious deficiencies which we wish to address further in this petition:
Sudanese Diaspora Community in Norway
Submitted in Oslo, NORWAY
Firstly, we do not agree with the strict ID documentation requirements. The requirement
of only a Sudanese passport as proof of citizenship in order to be registered is a slap in
the face for the Marginalized masses of the Sudan, given the NIF/NCP’s war-time policy
of records/infrastructure destruction in the South. Most people additionally were born
either in a refugee camp or village, where such required documents are naturally rare,
because birth certificates are normally issued by hospitals and related modern facilities.
This is the general case for the vast majority of the Diaspora. Such criterion is blatantly
unjust, and wanting of other fair ID criteria to be instituted.
Secondly, selection of registration/polling centers leaves even more to be desired. For
instance, in Western Europe, there is only one registration center, Brussels! Sudanese live
and work in various countries in the region; hence, logistically challenging as well as it is
a financial strain for some to register in Brussels. In the Nordic region, we have 10,000
Sudanese, how are they to be transported to Brussels to register? This particular decision
by NEC violates the fundamental rights granted by the Interim Constitution of 2005 and
The International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (Article 2, Paragraph 2).
As people upholding our democratic rights, We reject such biased approaches and
demand that the NEC note the logistical and financial difficulties and therefore devise
pragmatic solutions to rectify these problems with immediate effect.
By rejecting these unjust moves by NEC, We urge the Norwegian Government, the
European Union, The IGAD Partners Forum, other concerned peace-loving groups — to
diplomatically intervene immediately since registration is only 37 days in length,
beginning November 1, 2009 and ask their support to get the NEC to adopt our
recommendations and help us to reverse this inevitably disastrous election scenario.
Common sense calls for pragmatic engagement with the International Community to
see to it that Sudan stays peaceful and conducts a peaceful National Election, We
therefore appeal to the International Community, Civil Societies, Think Tanks, NGOs
and educational institutions to engage proactively the NEC and The Sudan on these
issues.
We therefore urgently recommend the following points to pave the way for a fair and
democratic elections process:
• Extend the registration period from one month to three ending January 30, 2010 to
allow uninterrupted registration of all citizens in Sudan and in the Diaspora.
• The voter registration center in Brussels for Western Europe, is not enough, We
request that a vote registration center be established in Norway at the Sudanese
Embassy.
Sudanese Diaspora Community in Norway
Submitted in Oslo, NORWAY
In addition, the following countries should be included in the already existing list of the
NEC, if not yet included in the registration/voting process: Norway, Sweden, Finland
Denmark, Germany and Australia.
The Sudan Election Law says in Chapter 3, Section 2, Paragraph 22, Part 3, that
Sudanese abroad must have a Sudanese passport and a valid visa in her/his country they
reside in order to be eligible to register and vote – This Law should be revised
immediately. Any Sudanese with a passport, permanent residency card, temporary
residency card, political asylum document or refugee document in the country of
residence or domicile indicating Sudan as the place of birth should be deemed a
Sudanese citizen as well as their eligible children must be allowed to register and vote.
In Norway, NorDem as a third party should be involved in safekeeping and management
of the registration/voting data.
Failure to correct the aforementioned deficiencies during these preliminary stages will
result in the election exercise being considered fraudulent, rather than being implemented
based on true democratic processes of transparency and accountability. The thirty day
registration period, the strategic selection of registration sites are designed in such a way,
by the time Sudanese obtain documents of eligibility, registration expires causing —
mass disenfranchisement of the majority of Sudanese in the Diaspora.
And finally, the resources for logistics, registration processes and materials in The Sudan
and Diaspora is primarily the responsibility of National Elections Commission not the
local communities (counties, regions, embassies, countries, etc.), We therefore urge the
NEC to live up to its administrative, management and executive responsibilities.
Wishing Justice, Peace and Democratic Prosperity to The People of Sudan,
New Sudan Community in Norway
Darfur Association in Norway
International Organisation of the Nuba Mountains
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – Oslo
cc:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
EU Representation in Norway
UN Representation in Norway
AU Representative in Norway
Arab League Representative in Norway
IGAD via Kenya Embassy
UK Embassy
Italian Embassy
French Embassy
Germany Embassy
SPLM HQ