US special envoy to Sudan blasted by opposition leaders over elections
April 4, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The US special envoy to Sudan Scott Gration came under fire from opposition leaders after he gave his blessings to the April elections to go forward and expressed confidence that they could be held in a credible manner.
“They [National Election Commission] have given me confidence that the elections will start on time and they would be as free and as fair as possible,” Gration told reporters.
“These people have gone to great lengths to ensure that the people of Sudan will have access to polling places and that the procedures and processes will ensure transparency. This has been a difficult challenge but I believe they have stepped up and met the challenge ” he added.
The remarks by the US official has shocked many in Sudan particularly those opposed to the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) who felt that the world power has betrayed them.
“So he went to the Election Commission and they assured him that they are fair and unbiased. It is like asking a thief to swear he is honest and then believing him” a 26-years old student in Khartoum by the name of Khalid told Sudan Tribune.
“The US wants the [National] Congress Party to stay in power because they are the only ones who are willing to give them concessions. Obama turned out to be no different from Bush. We, the ordinary Sudanese will pay the price for this selfish policy” he added.
The former prime minister and leader of the Umma Party Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi described Gration as “naive”.
“The U.S. position has two things in it. There are those who adopt a view that represents the American right which is close to Israeli thinking that says that [Sudan] must be dismantled to weaken Sudan – like the other Arab countries – in the face of Israel. There is Larry Soler of the Heritage Foundation advocates of this view and support the secession of southern Sudan and escalating the crisis in the Darfur issue and in this view, the victory will help the National Congress [Party] on the scenario of breaking up Sudan” Al-Mahdi told the Qatar based Al-Jazeera TV today.
“There are other people good intentioned but naive as Gration. He has already came here and exchanged views with political forces, but he could not because he failed to diagnose the problem and could not deal with the problem between the two partners, after his many attempts and shuttle visits and now when it came to the question of the elections did not affect anything in the meaning in both cases [he] failed” al-Mahdi added.
Al-Mahdi said he is puzzled why the US insists on holding credible elections in Iran while not doing the same in Sudan.
This week the Umma Party in its declaration that it intends to boycott elections unless certain conditions are met said that Gration promised Al-Mahdi during his meeting with him that he will press the NCP on postponing elections which has been the central demand of opposition parties saying reforms are needed to ensure the polls are fair and free.
The NEC has been accused by opposition of violating the electoral law and favoring the ruling party in its conduct and decisions.
The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has strongly rejected any delay to the polls threatening Southerners to push back the 2011 referendum if the join the calls for postponement.
Incumbent President Omer Hassan al-Bashir of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) who is running for re-election wants to win the elections to legitimize his rule, in defiance of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for his arrest for war crimes in Darfur, after a brutal counter-insurgency campaign begun in 2003.
The Umma Reform and Renewal Party (URRP) leader Mubarak Al-Fadil issued a strongly worded statement today slamming the US special envoy.
“We in the Umma Party and the Sudanese National Consensus Forces have made it clear to Mr. Scott Gration that the elections that the National Congress Party insists to impose on April 11, 2010 are partial and farcical elections devoid of the minimum fundamental requirements of a free and fair election” Al-Fadil said in his press release.
“Gration deliberately disregarded the fundamental articles of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, to which the United States is guarantor, that stipulate the restructuring of state organs and the abrogation of all laws contravening the bill of rights founded in the CPA and enshrined in the Constitution”.
Al-Fadil recounted what he described as breaches of the electoral process done with the collaboration of the NCP and NEC which according to him were ignored by the US envoy.
“Gration has ignored the serious revelations of the Carter Center’s report outlining grave irregularities in the electoral registry; the National Election Commission’s refusal to hand over the electoral registry for audit and their reduction of the total number of polling stations by 60%, constraining access to those voting for non-NCP parties. This information was overlooked by the Special Envoy together with that which was given by the opposition forces concerning the Electoral Commission’s transfer of the tender award for ballot card printing from the international firm which was the legitimate winner of the tender to the NCP-controlled Sudanese Currency Printing Press, placing the entire election process in the hands of the NCP. Mr. Gration has failed to heed the opposition’s warnings about the blatant bias of the Electoral Commission towards the NCP and has chosen to ignore our caution regarding the fragile political and legal environment in the country; the dispute over the population census; and the shaky state of security in Darfur and continued state of emergency together with renewed violence in the area; all of which stand to hinder the election process and reduce its legitimacy”.
“Gration continues, in the name of the United States of America to publicly advocate this flawed election, defend the Electoral Commission and the NCP, leading President Omer El-Bashir to “laud the position of the United States in support of the NCP”.
This week the Sudanese presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie expressed his gratitude to Gration for his commitment to hold the elections on time and his understanding that the polls are crucial for the stability of the country and that the NCP will not allow for a national interim government to run the country until the elections are concluded.
In a related development, the Umma Party appeared poised to run in the elections despite assertions that they want the government to respond positively to a set of demands.
The Umma Party said after a lengthy meeting on Friday that their participation in next week’s poll is contingent upon fulfillment of eight conditions which include ensuring the neutrality of the media and freedom of access to it by all political parties, government funding of election campaigning, prohibiting the use of government resources by any party, regulation and determining a specific ceiling for campaign financing and spending, recognizing that elections in Darfur region will be incomplete and creating a body to oversee the work of the NEC.
Furthermore, Al-Mahdi’s party demanded that the right of South Sudan to hold the 2011 referendum as planned should not be subject to negotiations or political maneuvering.
The party said that should the government agree to the aforementioned terms, the elections must be postponed till next May which is different from the original date proposed by opposition parties which falls in November.
But today Al-Mahdi softened its stance saying that the government responded to 80% of its demands and that they are negotiating the remaining 20%.
Nafie today said at the NCP headquarters said that opposition parties will have no choice but to take part in the elections “after losing the external support”.
The parliamentary, local and presidential elections are a crucial step in the 2005 north-south peace deal that ended a 21-year civil war and paves the way for a referendum when southerners would decide whether they will opt for secession from the Muslim-dominated north.
(ST)
Gatwech
US special envoy to Sudan blasted by opposition leaders over elections
Dear readers,
The so-called Northern opposition parties are just crying wolf because they have been left in the cold after trying to use SPLM to kill CPA and particularly to kill the referendum on self-determination.
These people spearheaded by Sadiq Al-Mahdi used John Garang in the past in their NDA marriage and blackmailed Garang from joining the right vision of self-determination for the South and perhaps beyond soon.
They have forgotten that they are today dealing with more wiser and visionary leaders focused on rowing the boat to the shore for the people they dearly love. Independence is the final destiny.
Gen. Gration has done a very good job by approving in silence the withdrawal of Yasser Arman and the giving a go a head of the presidential and the rest of elections.
I admire him for his recent statements saying the US government is preparing for the independence of the South, and not the so-called unity of the already failed unity of Sudan.
Deng Wel Deng
US special envoy to Sudan blasted by opposition leaders over elections
Perhaps what can be term legitimate is what be organise by the oppositions. I do believe there are one to three irregularities somewhere but all those can’t illegitimates the credibilty of the whole election.The concern is referendum
Dinka Boy
US special envoy to Sudan blasted by opposition leaders over elections
We South Sudanese know Yasir Arman more than El Bashier,
We need Election to be done at the right time and we want SPLM to put back his presidential candidate( Yasir Arman).
What are the evidences that help you that Mr Yasir Arman is not a legitimate leader who indeed can,t guarantee South Sudanese referendum in 2011?
First, Arman is a full SPLM cammander who served the interest of South Sudanese since 1986 till the signing of CPA. His struggle in case of our interest can make him the president of Sudan understand the contract of CPA accord.
Now, we mean that Omer El Bashier will give referendum in 2011 if Sudanese in general elect him in this month?
My Southerners, if SPLM withdraw Yasir Arman because we South Sudanese think of him as an obstacle in 2011 referendum,then we all are wrong. Why?
Because the Arman presidency has no obstacle of referendum. He will and can not force South Sudanese to unity. We have to know that this election has been propose and it’s a must election that SPLM will not skipped unless if we agrred for War due our SPLM violation. Or we South Sudanese agree for the postponement of election and referendum to the farther notice.
I beleived all know the precedures of how to handle contract,but if we not then it will be the blame to all of us at the nearest future.
Yes, we think of Arman as Arab guy,but we will not do us harm than the ways many of Southerners thought of it. Why SPLM worried about ICC and the problem of Darfur. Are we sure that Bashier will hand Us the free referndum because of him being the president of Sudan. No dear brother.
These issues of Darfur will probably take couple of years and it will delay the referendum that we are all yearning for. My friend, i really want Arman to compete with Bashier in this April no latter then next year so that we can quickly go to the referendum that was schedule next year.
The withdrawal of Arman is an hazardous step that will not serve SPLM by peaceful means unless by war. Certainly, tell me latter in 2011 if we will get our independent while we had skipped this election. My prediction is too high then any other hypothensis that my brothers are wishing.
SPLM is not clear because some of leaders like traitor Riek Machar said that Arman was the one who demand his withdrawal. Is that right?
Some others said that there irregularities and the sign of rigging of election, then what are the evidences,and why not we provide cues to NEC and monitors about the irregularities;instead of we SPLM just withdrwal our candidates without concerned. Fear for what! who knows that Arman will take the seat so that we freely can go to 2011 without any alternation.
SPLM and PB made a wrong decision that will take South Sudan to nowhere. I don,t think we will achieve 2011 while we have not participated in 2010. Tell me latter unless SPLM get it by war. Thanks
mohammed ali
US special envoy to Sudan blasted by opposition leaders over elections
If one becomes neutral for one second and forget about his political,ethenic,tribal or whatever affliation; he should ask :why is this huge change in the American policy?
Obviously the explanation given by Almahdi, the least,we can say about it is it is biased.He simply wants to recruit the event to his interest.
So, why?What do we have that intersts America that much?Obviously America wants to legitimize it’s change of policy through elections.The same as Albasheer against the ICC! The questions remains:WHY?
Isn’t this a good reason to make us look to ourselves with or without secession?
Doesn’t this(change in policy)tell us that we have something very valuable, the OTHERS run after it and make US fight and kill OURSELVES for nothing!
A moment for thought, before being engulfed a big fish!
Hillary B.M.L,M
US special envoy to Sudan blasted by opposition leaders over elections
Enough is enough, Election and referendum are spoiled.
Political Intruders entered strongly to make every things useless and those are Northern Parties and other figures inside SPLA among them is Mr. Yasir Saeed Arman. If am not mistaken, do we know who is Yasir Araman? Ja’ali by Tribe, do he want South to Separate? off course No. So what do thinks of his and all other Northern Opposition Parties views toward South Sudan?
telfajbago
US special envoy to Sudan blasted by opposition leaders over elections
Hahahaha!!!!.It’s only today the Sudanese political parties and activists knew what El.Bashir’s ambassador Scott bn Gration is and what he is doing. The unscrupulous Presidential envoy had vowed to institutionalize injustice, genocide and the killing of the innocent civilians in Darfur,since their deal with El-Bashir of counter-terrorism is paying off. roll up your sleeves the marginalized groups of Sudan,the world is governed by interests.
Gatwech
US special envoy to Sudan blasted by opposition leaders over elections
BREAKING NEWS: YASSER ARMAN SPLITTING SPLM INTO NORTH AND SOUTH
By MIRAYA FM (Website),
The Chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Salva Kiir Mayardit, has called an emergency meeting of the party’s political bureau. The meeting in Juba is expected to discuss the SPLM elections boycott.
The discussions include the stance taken by 13 SPLM candidates contesting for governorship posts who have frozen their elections campaign with intentions to boycott Sunday’s polls.
On Sunday, SPLM supporters gathered at the party’s headquarters in Khartoum calling for Yasir Arman to reverse his withdrawal and participate in the republic’s presidential elections.
The demonstrators accused the National Elections Commission (NEC) of manipulating and violating the electoral process.
………………………………………………………..
It is now becoming clearer that Yasser Arman and his Northern Sector have joined the Northern Opposition parties in their conspiracy to look for ways to destroy the coming referendum. This has been the intention of Yasir to push for boycott of election in the whole North after learning that he would fail the elections.
Yasir wants to fail together with the referendum if he could not win to postpone the referendum himself. He and his group called SPLM-North joined by Pagan Amum have picked boycotting the elections as the only way to cause crisis with NCP and disrupt the process of elections and therefore of the referendum since the former is the prerequisite to the latter.
Southerners in the SPLM should now be careful and refrain from jumping in support of this boycott the SPLM-North.
The SPLM Political Bureau should DISOWN those 13 candidates for governorship who have sensed their loss in the elections and want to destroy the chance to referendum in the South.
Time1
US special envoy to Sudan blasted by opposition leaders over elections
The northern opposition is not popular and has no strong support countrywide, they also do not understand the Sudanese problem, Gration is just trying to find a solution were everyone would conpromise to reach a peaceful end which satisfies all sides withint he CPA framework.