Sudan announces details of contested census results
May 21, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government announced today the detailed results of the fifth national census that SPLM former rebels have threatened to reject. Counting the results was considered crucial to prepare next year’s elections.
Khartoum’s population is estimated at 5,074,321 followed by South Darfur state at 4,039,594; Al Jazeera state is in the third place with 3,575,280 followed by North Kordofan with 2,920,992.
According to the announced census result, some 520,000 southern Sudanese are living in the north.
Sudan conducted its fifth Population and Housing Census, a milestone in the implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), from April 22 to May 6, 2008. It was the first all-inclusive census for people of southern Sudan since Sudan became independent in January 1956.
The conduct of the census-taking had been hindered by many problems in southern Sudan and South Kordofan. Moreover, political forces and rebels in Darfur called on the government to postpone it until the settlement of the armed conflict in western Sudan.
In southern Sudan, Jonglei State has the highest population with 1,358,602, followed by Central Equatoria State with 1,103,592, Warrap State 972,928, Upper Nile State 964,353, Eastern Equatoria State 906,126, Northern Bahr El-Ghazal state 720,898, Lakes state 695,730, Western Equatoria State 619,029, Unity State 588,801 and Western Bahr El-Ghazal State with 333,431.
Abidin told reporters that the reservations held by the Office of the Census for Southern Sudan on the results of the census had no basis and that these had been superseded by the approval of the presidency.
Southern Sudanese officials say they account for one third of the total population.
The Sudanese presidency in a meeting held on May 6 approved the result of the fifth census. However, the First Vice-President and head of the semi-autonomous government in southern Sudan Salva Kiir Mayadrit said he is unhappy with the results of the census conducted last year and called for it to be excluded from wealth- and power-sharing formulas articulated in the 2005 peace agreement.
The SPLM chairman, speaking on May 18 to the Southern Sudan Sultans conference in Bentiu, the capital of Unity State, said he is “unhappy and unsatisfied with the census results.” He also suggested reverting back to the old constituency system in the elections to avoid controversy.
The head of the Southern Sudan Commission for Census, Statistics and Evaluation Isaiah Chol had complained that the numbers of Southerners in the North turned out less than expected. He also expressed surprise regarding the increase in the population of Darfur since the 1993 census.
Chol said that the Southern commission did not get the chance to document the information on the North due to lack of cooperation with the central office.
The fifth census was conducted under the supervision of an independent multiparty stakeholder body that included foreign monitors. Pali Lehohla, from South Africa and chief adviser of the Monitoring and Observation Committee assessed the census operation as a “success.”
In a letter obtained by Sudan Tribune dated April 11, he suggested that Sudan’s census was a “unique experience that is worth replicating in other census undertakings especially for countries that are in conflict or emerging out of conflict.”
(ST)
Agutran
Sudan announces details of contested census results
The so called head of statistics Al-Haj, the numbers don’t add up to the fact that the population of Sudan is 39 plus million.
Mr. Yassin Al-Haj you and your team had just been confirmed deceitful with the National census.
Mr. Al-Haj the person of your should be in Nairobi bribing people because that’s what you do the best.
Add all your figures up to 39,154,490 and proved to president Kiir that he wasn’t telling the truth.
Mr. Al-Haj you and your gangs should have done your home work well before you throw yourselves under the bus.
Monye Jur
Sudan announces details of contested census results
Now the official result is aired out, for me GoSS deserve this result. GoSS is always running after corruption, doesn’t care about the tribal fighting in the south, the insecurity, bandits, and many other bad things in the south. They should have been seriously with NCP policies and should have not allow the count analysis result for south to be done in Khartoum, instead those papers should have been kept at the south Sudan center for statistic and those expert should have been here since south has its autonomous government. This is always the chances and the weak points that the NCP is seeking from SPLM. How can the census result be accurate for us since our president who is the 1st vise president is always the first vise upsent from Khartoum? How can we expect things to be ok for our side meanwhile we are always afraid of being there in confronting the NCP practices? Leaving Pagan and Yasir Arman to be the targets of the NCP of being threatened to the death point because of there standing positions to NCP Practices.
Is it a solution to say we southerners or SPLM refuses the result and that is should not be used for wealth sharing, development distributions, power sharing and many others? Whether we want or not; the NCP will use those figures (census result) for the above mentioned points, because logically; they are the one giving us our 50% share of the oil rather it is not us who are taking our 50 % share from them thought the oil is taken from our region.
This the time, if the SPLM doesn’t wants the census result to be recognized in power or wealth distribution then they must focus their attention to Khartoum and Salva has to be there, or otherwise, the 50% share of oil will drop, their number at national parliament will drop, their ministers at GONU will drop, and many other negative things will happened simply because we are representing only 21% of the total population of Sudan.
Maker Deng
Sudan announces details of contested census results
It is very unfortunate that we Southerners are minority in the 2008 census,Which is not true.This shows the Anti-Southerners by Arabs and we shall stand by our leaders and it will be recorded in the Sudan history that Southerners are the majority because our eyes are widely open.SPLM Leadership potray the true concern of their Motherland.”The truth of the matter is that there’s nothing you can’t accomplish if:You clearly decide what it is that you’re absolutely committed to achieving,You’re willing to take massive action,You notice what’s working or not, and You continue to change your approach until you achieve what you want, using whatever life gives you along the way.Therefore,the number given by the so call bureau of statistic is a good-failing lie that the world shall never consider unless the new census is conducted within Sudan and uproad,.Even myself and others were not counted.We shall keep our vision alive and the Black people will be the first class citizen in The Sudan.Long Live SPLM,Long live Black man of the land,Long Live New Sudan,Long live Leading figures of the South.
Thondet Manyang
Sudan announces details of contested census results
Dear Southerners this is how Arabs always sheat us.
In reality, this is not an ascuse for Arab again. That is totally not our census figure they know what they have planned for this eight million. Look!!!!Khartoum is 5 million S.Darfur is 4 million, Aljazeera 3 million and N.Kordufan is 2 million if you sum these figures my people, you will definetly realized that ARAB had had done a great trick in this census.
I am not counted in this census personally and even more of my colleagues too. Then why should we bother let them work on Northern Sudan census only. And leave us alone we shall come up with our census.
Where these find more figures????? On mobile network by forcing people to send their details more special ZAIN.
I am sorry to let our people`s names being read by Al Haj.
We are not in Mecca, and we are not Arab.
Oh!!!! When are we be free from these poor animals (Arabs) killing and cheating us in our virgin land South Sudan.
I DON`T WANT TO HEAR THAT FAKE FIGURE BEING USED IN ANYTHING!!!!!!
Manyok Manyuon
Sudan announces details of contested census results
The census result should not be a supprised to the people of Southern Sudan because we all knows the trick of Arabs.they don’t want anything that will benefit Southerners.
mr Yassin Al-Haj Abdin, you and your war criminal of Sudan don’t forget ICC on your nect,the issue of corrupting census is a minner case because soon we are going to separate from you.
leaders of southern sudan should focus on the CPA so that we reaches referundom.our late H.E Dr Jonh Garang De Mabior told people of Sudan that “this CPA is not for me,for Osman Taha or president Besir,it is for the people of Southern Sudan and all marginalised people of Sudan”.my fellow country men if we don’t forget all what he was telling us and put them in practices during referndom we will all be whelming and get the clostrum of CPA because CPA is pregnant with our right.census is already twisted and nothing we can do about.get courage and said JUNUBIEN WAYEEEEEE! for separation.
Chol Manyiel
Sudan announces details of contested census results
I am very unhappy for the announcement of the Census result. These results are fake or cooked figures. How can southern sudan have a population of 8,260,490 only. It would have been better not announced these results.
Mr. Rat Rebites
Sudan announces details of contested census results
It this a kind of joke?.
I commented yesterday but one that the SS president should accept the result Kumbe(not knowingly)this is how they have gone so far.
How can my state(lakes state) have a population density of 17.29 people per kilometre(695730/40235km2)i.e 86966.25 people per 8 counties of the state. It is a real comedic Census the world has ever experienced.
Imagine the South sudan of approximately 619746 km2 with 8263490 people and a population density of 13.33 people per km2. i must go back to War(slap the desk and raise the fist).
What is the percentage of women, men and children in this results. i want to know so that we can evaluate the census.
i know upto 1987 the number of children(below 18) and women according to UNICEF was 89% combined compare to men in the south Population, do you Guys in south sudan think only 11% men of this population shall have fought the North for 20 years?.
the census results are not yet detailed then i shall have gone to the Khartoum tomorrow.
postmortem
Sudan announces details of contested census results
Thank you all for the comments. To those who look into the future of Southern Sudan, the results are not so much bad as Adolfo said. Our house is very dirty and sick from corruption, nepotism, tribalism, community conflicts, disrespect, ignorance, wooliganism, lack of vision and lack of patriotism.
In the real corrupt world, leaders set long term plans to eat while painting a lipstick on their lips that they are doing something for the wanainchi. In southern Sudan, corruption is not a secret and you can see people carrying millions of dollars in kaveras no body say a word. They cause banks to collapse and they are regarded heroes.
Our leaders are rejecting the results because there will be a reduction in resource allocation meaning their looting will reduce dramatically and not because they have an agenda for the people of Southern sudan.
My grandfather told me he has nothing to lose from the consequences of the census results because he has not in the first place benefitted from the little government has received since the CPA was signed.So whether the status quo remain or changes, it doesn’t affect him. All he is waiting for is death and the sooner it befalls him the better he goes to rest from seeing a boat capsising because of negligence.
Isn’t it a right for Chol to get copies of the statistics and results from Khartoum if he knows his terms of reference or he just do not know what to do?
Let us just move ahead with or without the right figures because our ultimate goal is the referrendum.
A part from individuals in the government coming up to say the results were not the correct figures, what is the joint statement of GOSS with regards to these results? What is the way forward?
Dinka Aliap Chawul
Sudan announces details of contested census results
This census results is another conspiracy by NIF regime to undermind indenpendent of Southern Sudanese people and must be rejected it in highest terms.Our soveriegnty is clear even if one person is considered to be the only counted to be in Southern Sudan ,i urges SPLM leaderships to be tougher enough on this issue because we Southerners are highly still praticing polygamies marriages by which one individual owns up larger families,our populations is not as that…….NCP`S LYING US.KEEP UP SOUTHERNERS
J.James
Sudan announces details of contested census results
Good
I heard Jongolei got the highest population because Murle turned out to be majority in Jongolei.
Now let it be posted by county and county.
God bless
The writer is a peace activist