97% of registered southerners have voted for secession – survey

December 31, 2010 (JUBA) – About 97% of registered voters in the ten states of Southern Sudan have voted for secession, according to results released on Friday after a latest survey carried out by the coalition of civil society organizations in the region.

3.9 million Southerners have registered in the region, northern Sudan and the Diaspora to cast their votes on January 9 and choose between confirming the current unity of the Sudan and opting to establish an independent state.

In the survey result announced in Juba on Friday by the chairman of the coalition of civil society organizations in Southern Sudan, John Andruga, a sample voting which was randomly done in secret ballot in the ten states of the region has indicated that 97% of the 1,400 people involved voted for secession. Only 3% voted for unity.

Andruga also revealed in a press conference held here that two states of Unity and Eastern Equatoria have voted 100% for secession during the voting exercise.

A similar survey independently carried out last year in southern Sudan by the US-based National Democratic Institute (NDI) also revealed that over 90% of southerners declared their vote for secession.

According to the coalition, the latest survey has confirmed the widely expected overwhelming vote for secession by the people of Southern Sudan during the actual referendum exercise due in one week.

(ST)