High turnout for Southern Sudan independence vote in Ethiopia
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
January 10, 2011(ADDIS ABABA) – Southern Sudanese living in neighbouring Ethiopia turned out in large numbers on the first day of the week-long independence voting.
About 3.9 million southerners were registered to vote with some 3.7 million in south Sudan and over 60,000 will cast vote overseas in eight countries including in neighbouring Ethiopia, Kenya Uganda and elsewhere in the USA, Australia and Britain.
With hope shining in their faces, hundreds of southerners were lined up in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa centre to cast their votes.
The celebration to accept the world’s newest state seemed to begin early with many – confident enough for secession – as they were singing and dancing on the streets.
Approached by Sudan Tribune voters among also a group which had been celebrating said, “this is an event they have waited for too long.”
They said the referendum will be a turning point for new era in the history of south Sudan.
“The time has come for me to say I have a country and also to begin being proud of it” said a voter, Puot Arop, adding “it seems that the time has come for all of us to return home.”
In Addis Ababa polling centre, which is among the three voting centres in Ethiopia, more than half of the total registered have already turned out on the first day, said Government of South Sudan (GOSS) office in Addis Ababa.
“There was a big turnout in Addis Ababa; more than half of the total 775 registered voters have already cast their vote on first day” Deputy head of mission David Dang told Sudan Tribune.
The southern Sudanese official believes that the referendum will lead to the end of a long running north-south civil war. However, he went on to say that, “the north are not happy in any way about the referendum but they have to let it go.”
Akutien works in Ethiopia’s northern town of Mekelle, which is a day and half drive to Addis Ababa. He had to fly all the way from the town to cast his vote on the first day.
People like Akutien say they are not sure whether the referendum will be a final solution to end north-south war. He says north won’t stop aggression against the south even if south secedes.
“Although the referendum brings secession, I don’t think it will absolutely stop future conflict because the north will always seek some kind of aggression as a means to benefit from oil in south” he told Sudan Tribune.
“There are some people in north Sudan who are giving wrong direction, to instigate new war, and they need to stop that and instead must recognize a peaceful separation” he added.
Beyond a voting centre in the capital, Addis Ababa, voting is taking place in two other centres, at Sherkole and Fugnido refugee camps.
According to a representative of Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, vote counting will begin late on 15 January, after which, preliminary results will begin to be released.
(ST)
landlord
High turnout for Southern Sudan independence vote in Ethiopia
If Riek machar tenydoggonis fail to control his farmer girl friend what do you thing you can do to except him since he is a fail to doom nyagat with piracy.
We will keeping supervising you untill you get leadership skill.
Ahah you getwech tot yuol you can think of what to write day and night but you will never convence any living person inculding nuer themsleves.
what i know so far is that you need to clean the dirty person that will never be forgiven and forgotten by whol sudan and inparticular south sudan for his wicked evil oaf doom act.
if you cannot solve Dr riek machar his own family homesick what do you think that you can make him to be a person of good?
Getwech tot yuol you have try it hearder to defend mr anyagat but you fail to make him[riek] looked clean.
he never sign any documents in CPA since they know him that is not clever enought to follow stratgies.
He do thing in shot term that can event confused him easily.
now he is still under the shadow of the brave leadership of mighty superpower great Monyjaing man of they men. what can he do a bout it?
now he got family malitia which is now stabing south sudanes at the back would that make him as a leader in south rether then in hid bed with his former girl friend
i don’t when to wast my time saying all the curb creat by mr nyagat since everbody knew him. death to him.
but one thing for you son of nyagat
lat me be clear to you sine you are nuer with inperson,
there will be no and big no path to leadership without consulting mighty superpower DINKA/MONYJAING the man of the men.
wether you like it or not now way untill you nyagateen bowdown on your knee and say thank you mighty superpower monyjaingda for lat me in,
and that is what exactly you are saying now or crying but you will say it i swear to GOD mark my worde gewech
Dinka are not dumb brother.
The playboy riek machar will be a leader of whor since he don’t have really wife in nuer comunity,
But dear getwech please don’t ask me why he don’t have a really wife since we both know where he get his pleasuer from white whors sorry to say this but i can’t keep it.
Now there is a say saying that in MIGHTY SUPERPWER DINKA MONYJAING proverb if you walk with thief you will be a thief,
If you walk with murder, you will be a murder,
if you walk with whor you will became whor,
now i prove it right since anglina was got married to nyagat, she became nyagat what a funny proveb from mighty superpower DINKA.
death to riky machar tenydhurgondogy
either be with MIGHTY SUPERPOWER DINKAS to get second position or go with bashir so that the ICC will issue your next arrest warrenty
thank you