Sudan may delay 2010 elections
June 10, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan may delay once again the general elections in the country which will mark the end of the interim period that started in July 2005 following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
“We are considering a modification, an adjustment of our old timeframe to accommodate the delays that have taken place,” said Abdallah Ahmed Abdallah,the deputy chairman of the National Elections Commission in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday.
It would “not be very much of a delay” he added.
The Sudanese official did not suggest any new timeframe but said voter registration — originally set for June — would now likely start in November after disruptive rains have finished.
“Some of the intervals and the stages are dictated by law so you cannot accelerate the stages,” he further said.
The peace process signed in January 9, 2005 was supposed to lead the country to the first free democratic elections still faces many hindrances and delays since the death of John Garang who was supposed to be its principal actor.
The outcome of the fifth census is now rejected by the SPLM which request a political agreement over the issue but the dominant National Congress Party continues to believe that the southern Sudan ruling party has to accept the internationally monitored results.
Besides, the security law and Abyei issue, the North-South border still not defined. Boundaries delineation on paper could be done by September and on-the-ground demarcation by December, Abdallah said.
Also the Darfur conflict that erupted since six years ago does not seem of a major concern for the SPLM which focuses its efforts in the 2011 referendum. However, many unresolved questions are raised over the participation of the displaced and the refugees in eastern Chad.
The deputy head of the independent electoral board said they did not yet decided whether Sudanese refugees abroad will be allowed to vote and, if so, how.
Last April when the deferral of the elections was announced, the SPLM warned that this should not delay the exercise of 2011 referendum that would determine the political future of Southern Sudan.
SPLM Deputy Chairperson, James Wani Igga, who also chairs the SPLM election committee, stressed, last April after the delay, the need to vote the referendum bill and to complete the demarcation process of the North-South border.
(ST)
Garang Arok
Sudan may delay 2010 elections
The word “comprehensive peace agreement”is nothing in itself if it does not address the issues agreed upon to the letter.This means if all the protocals signed are not respected,every thing still fluid,what is the need for general elections under fake one-sudan.
This is still a transition of totalitarian guides propagated and officially documented by islamic regimes which have trodden sudan to hell for a very long time ,these are merely the ideologies that add no inch of development since the installation of the so called formal adminstrationin sudan but which in reality is not true ,it has been just a misguiding mist put forward by guns and all kind of terrorist threats to make it sound like there is a government in the country,only meeting the definitions of sovereignty.
The SPLM/A should watch out carefully,since it is the only movement that stood with clear objectives as opposed to the central islamised and incompetent systems or else every thing rather than reality is a propaganda.
Chaplain Lolaki
Sudan may delay 2010 elections
The question of delaying Sudan election is propaganda of those who want to see sudanese in trouble.
Let us watch out because SOME of the people who sold the Southern Sudanese Independence are still with us and they want to see the problem of Sudan Continue.
Let’s rise and work to accomplish our Task Stipulated in the CPA.