Sudan says census process completed successfully
April 11, 2009 (KHARTOUM) –Sudanese officials today expressed satisfaction that the census conducted last year conforms to the international standards in terms of coverage and impartiality.
Al-Gailani on Saturday sought to disclose the scientific assessment of the census process that took place more than a year ago but its result have yet to released but no date has been set.
The evaluation pertained to areas of coverage, transparency, scientific basis by which the census took place.
There was no mention however of when the census results will be made public. Khartoum has missed several deadlines it set for releasing the census results, drawing speculations on the reasons behind the delay.
The Sudanese official said that assessment reports were done on a state level and one comprehensive report on a national level.
He pointed out that the enumeration operations had been successfully conducted in Darfur camps and southern Sudan despite the multiple hindrances.
Some observers have warned that the census will not be conducted fairly given the conflict in Darfur and the large number of refugees from Southern Sudan in neighboring countries.
The fifth Sudan Population and Housing Census, a milestone in the implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was conducted from 22nd to 30th April 2008. It was the first all inclusive census for people of southern Sudan since the country’s independence in January 1956.
The Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) which heads the semi autonomous South government reluctantly accepted the commencement of the census after posing objections to questions on race and religion in the forms used.
Afterwards SPLM officials said that they will not accept any census results that they consider lowering South Sudan population.
This week the SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum disclosed that “discrepancies” are behind the delay in releasing the census outcome.
Amum said that “the results may be questionable and we do not know whether it would be valid ground for the upcoming general elections”.
“Probably without the census results we could rely on former statistics such as the 1956 census” he added.
The census will help decide how wealth and power are ought to be shared in Sudan.
The north-south border crosses oilfields producing some 500,000 barrels per day of crude.
But the census committee said today that there were no issues faced in the South and that no objections were raised.
An expert at the UN speaking during the press conference said that the Sudanese experience in census will be used in post conflict areas in Afghanistan and Angola.
(ST)
Samani
Sudan says census process completed successfully
This census Mr Pagan Amum takes into account who is in Sudan NOW. Who is the north south east and west of the country. Stop you bickering of ‘if the numbers are less we wont accept it’ !! Of course its less, I dont know if its simple ignorance or just denial of the facts and knowing what that means to your movement. Your claim that South Sudanese make up 1/3 of Sudan is crazy. This might be true in terms of land size .. But Not in Population, for these simple facts.
If you also claim that many southern sudanese are in the North and refuse to return to South Sudan how can you count them in you southern percentage. If many of ‘your people’, millions are ‘Diaspora’ living in the US, EU, Australia, Kenya and other countries, then im sorry they cant be counted in the population. Even then the census takes this into account by asking how many family members do you have outside Sudan. If and when they decide to return to South Sudan then yes they maybe counted.
As for what peoples Race, religion and tribe are ! How does this contribute to wealth sharing and service distribution ? It only adds to differences and divides people. Plus it would be against your so called democratic ideals of your SPLM. It will only confirm that the majority of people in Sudan are muslim and less then 5% are christian. It will confirm that dinkas make up the majority of southerners then what? and so what ?
So if you like it or not the census will be a clear indication of the true number of people NOW on the ground in Sudan. So we know how wealth and power could be shared in proportion. If it doesnt fit your agenda then tough !!
ngor martyn jok
Sudan says census process completed successfully
The census outcome determines and define all the protocols in the comprehensive peace agreement that was signed in 2005.If at all there’s reality in the results of the census,then that’s all we hope for. We believe in the CPA in all its aspects ,unless we need to continue with more disaster in this nation.
It’s all said presently that ,all is witnessed and its expectations all in fairness,how sure ‘re we to believe the southern Sudan population status that has been put for long time ago,to suite interests in order to grab the power and resources from us.
If people outside there,so-called witnesses and believers of the census results,then surely We hope you all know the size of the South Sudan and so would bring in the number correspondingly,otherwise.
With census results,we believe to posterity at all angles to decide sensibly in the coming referendum 2011 .It doesn’t have to be an ideal factor to verify the status that define the future of South Sudan.Hopefully,we would rather remain as Taiwan in great China,other than being pushed once more to get indulged in the nation in the hand of the selfish guys.
We surely hope to have that very plebiscite regardless of that very ambiguous results of the census.We got to be left alone to decide justly for that big nation.