US Carter hopes 2009 elections will end Sudan’s deadlock
October 14, 2007 (WASHINGTON) — The former US president Jimmy Carter who was in Sudan recently expressed hope that the Sudan’s general elections scheduled to be organized in 2009 will help to resolve the current deadlock in the country.
In an interview with Voice of America Carter said “We hope that we can help to arrange an honest election now scheduled for 2009, including a census that is supposed to begin next February to prepare for the voters list that will be used in the election. So we hope we can break a deadline and prevent future deadlock and open up the way for progress in the future,”
Peace agreements require international observers to monitor elections in Sudan. The Sudanese government which blocked these efforts in the past has invited the Carter Center to take part in the upcoming election monitoring. It is a move that is also supported by leaders in the south of the country.
So far, the Carter Center has monitored 68 troubled elections throughout the world. President Carter hopes that free and fair elections in Sudan will eventually bring an end to the widespread suffering of the people of Darfur.
Regarding Darfur peace process, President Carter told VOA that he is concerned about the planned peace negotiations scheduled to take place in Tripoli, Libya later this month.
“…The groups that will be represented at the negotiating table are the armed rebel groups who have earned their way to the negotiating table by the barrel of a gun. One of the main points that we have made was that the peace-loving civilian population needs to be represented at the negotiating table too.”
Successful efforts by the Carter Center in Sudan include agricultural programs that have increased the production of wheat, and an aggressive campaign to eradicate Guinea Worm disease by 2009.
(ST)