Sudan criticizes remarks by UN official on Darfur elections

July 26, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan had slammed statements by UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy in which he said Darfur Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) would be deprived of taking part in the 2010 general elections.

“The contested census, large-scale displacement and volatility, particularly in the area bordering Chad, create enormous risks that the people of Darfur will not be in a position to participate in the electoral process,” Le Roy told the UN Security Council last Friday.

Spokesperson of foreign ministry, Ali Al-Sadiq, rejected Le Roy remarks saying the National Election Commission (NEC) which is administered by highly experienced and competent members, is the sole body mandated to decide on election affairs in the country.

Also local press published statements attributed to Sudanese diplomatic sources saying that comment on the elections was not part of the UN official’s mandate. The sources further added that Le Roy had no right to make comments based on premature forecasting that has no consistence with the facts on the ground.

In April 2010 Sudan is expected to hold the first fair and free elections after two decades of totalitarian regime in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). However, Darfur rebels and former rebels rejected census results and asked to delay the electoral process till the conclusion of a lasting peace agreement in western Sudan.

The Sudanese official further praised the stance, during the meeting of UN Security Council members who stressed the need to make peace in Darfur as priority.

Ali further said Darfur peace tops the agendas of the government, pointing out that Sudan coordinates with some neighboring countries and regional and international organizations to settle Darfur conflict and achieve peace in the country.

During UNSC meeting on Friday, the Russian special envoy, Mikhail Margelov, reminded African Union concerns about the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.

He told the Council that African states believed peace in Darfur should be top priority, a view that was confirmed by envoys from council members Uganda, Burkina Faso and Libya.

(ST)