N. Bahr el Ghazal elders seek to settle electoral dispute

By Ngor Arol Garang

January 24, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Traditional council in the southern state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal have broken long silence seeking consensuses to end turmoil over the recently announced electoral college results which met lots of resisting voices from aspiring candidates.

The results which sparked political tension in the area are alleged to have to come out in favor of incumbent administration prompting call for dissolution of the committee from whose names never appeared on the nomination list.

Our interest as chiefs in this effort is to secure a peaceful understanding and compromise between the two groups, said Sultan Deng Macham, head of high level traditional council committee that seeking consensuses.

“We have started this initiative seeking intervention from all key players because we have realized that they have failed to reach a compromise,” he said adding they are neutral body.

He also stressed the total neutrality of the committee because “they are all our children and people who would like to represent our affairs at different level of governments,” he said

“We do not need to be misconstrued by any of the group members, all we are doing is to secure peaceful atmosphere as alternative to ending deadlock over talks which started last week,” he said.

Sultan Deng Macham was responding to allegations that traditional council currently shouldering negotiations between the two rivaling groups have been so lenient and in effective to bringing an immediate settlement to the disputed results.

There have been voices talking about slowness in the talks, yes they are moving at snail style, because we are not imposing consensus onto anybody but seeking best alternative to resolving differences before submission of deadlines expires, he said.

(ST)