Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
October 16 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has agreed not to rely on the census results for the 2011 referendum in South Sudan, a senior official said today.
“The list of people who go to vote (in the referendum) does not depend on the outcome of the last census,” Sudan 2nd Vice President Taha said in an interview on Sudanese public television.
This week Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) broke the deadlock with the NCP on the referendum law agreeing to 51% simple majority votes to declare Southern Sudan an independent country or confirm unity in the referendum.
The SPLM Vice president Riek Machar said that the NCP dropped its proposal of 90% to 2/3 (66%) of quorum required from all the registered voters in order to recognize the outcome of the referendum.
The two rivals disputed the April 2008 census which the SPLM claims underestimated population of the Southerners and demanded that it would not be used to determine the geographical constituencies.
However, the census results were not a subject of debate for the purposes of conducting referendum though the NCP wanted all Southerners throughout the country to be allowed to vote including those residing in the capital.
Taha hailed the agreement saying it showed the NCP’s commitment to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
He said that factors uniting Northerners and Southerners is more than what divides them and urged for an awareness campaign on the referendum “to conduct a dialogue in a conducive environment…to let it reach its goals in a positive manner”.
The 2nd VP disclosed that a “special register” will be started six months before the referendum to register Southerners for voting insinde and outside Sudan.
He reiterated that both parties are obliged by the CPA to work for “attractive unity”.
However, most observers believe that Southerners will overwhelmingly vote for secession.
(ST)
Time1
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
Osman Taha you are the only person southerners can work with in this current deformed NCP government, you have the will and guts to reform compared to the other hardline Islamists, however if the census results is included or excluded the referendum results is already known to every one, it is 99% voted for south sudan seperation and independence.
monykuer
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
what an hypocrite.
they don’t care about general number of southerners in the census and on other hand, they do care about southerners regardless of where they reside in world apart. interesting!
you are hoping to rig it but you will be confronted with a loud voice from dieheart seperatist like myself. try it
D M Monykuer.
Kur
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
Facts stand out regardless of any distortion. Let’s be
frank and make sure the wishes of the people of South Sudan are respects. Wisdom demands that.
Kur
Dinka Dominated SPLA
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
they must agree because they do not have to relay for what they steal. thanks but more need to be done by NCP to clear their names from terrorism evil act islam
DEATH to OSHY and HIS boyfriend LOGICBOY
Gatjang
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
It is good to see our Northern counterpart allowing southerners to decide. Let decide 2011. I am thanking GOSS/SPLM for fighting for us all the way, it is time for us (the southern voters) to bring this down and give them a pay back.
Long live south Sudan, long live SPLM, long live our freedom fighters (dead & alive), your legacies will live for ever.
oshay
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
NCP IS GIVING TOO MUCH TO THESE DINKA CRIMINALS
Dinka Boy
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
Southerners are ready for either unity or Separation in 2011. SPLM must conduct and considered Nuba mountain, Blue Nile before 2011 because i believed the above mention sectors played major roles in the struggle than others in South. I rather think of them before vote.
Thanks
Gatwech
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
Dear readers,
VP Taha should be congratulated for realizing that it is time for soul-searching. We again also congratulate the SPLM team for pressing on the NCP until it drops positions.
Taha and his NCP have shown your seriousness to implement the CPA, especially the clause on self-determination which the southerners see as the most important of all.
You negotiated the CPA in Naivasha and you have now championed its implementation. Thanks to Field Marshall Omer Hassan Al-Bashir for entrusting you in this important path towards the final destiny of our nation in January 2011. The agreement you have reached with Dr. Riek Machar is the best offer the South could get out of the referendum bill. President Salva Kiir should urge for the presentation of the bill in the cabinet and national parliament.
It is now up to you and your President to push the bill to the parliament and be endorsed without any negative amendments. The South’s ruling party, SPLM, should also work hard to prepare for the referendum.
It is true that the false so-called 2008 population census should not be mentioned at all in the referendum. A special registration is to take place. That censensus is trash and a true one will be conducted soon after 2011 independence of the South.
Jamjamez
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
Hey Guys, watch out for these mongers in the north. what could be the motive behind giving in to all these for the South? what do they want to buy in return of all this “being so good for a second”? Is it for the policy that is coming out in Washington on monday or any other setting?
These guys always plan alot and we in the south too should counter plan all their proxy Ideas. we have to magnify any move they make.
Lets have hope for normalities but always be alert for its not time to be fooled.
Thanks and God bless.
Hillary B.M.L,M
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
This man, Taha Osman Mohamed Ali, the Student of Dr. Hassan Alturabi, is charged with a very tough Job, i.e Peace Negotiation and its implementation. In recent Months, there is serous misunderstanding between President Mr.Omer and Ali Osman Mohamed Ali, Yet is to complete his task, may be because of their misunderstanding he is working recklessness and carelessly against NCP Party, agreeing any thing put forward by SPLA. Rumors come out that Omer intent to dismiss his Second Vice President simply because has got relationship with Turabi and his work is no longer make sense to NCP. Above all, there are pressures world wide, so no way they have to agree on or pave the road for Southerners to go.
ngor martyn jok
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
It’s unbelievable!
It’s really a very influential decision taking on real steps on overhauling the nation-SUDAN- that was lost for decades’.
We appreciate the special concern by the two parties,that’s SPLM AND NCP.
Just sex-excited on :
agreeing on simple majority,51%;
2/3 of registered voters.
and finally,census results not defining the referendum status.
It’s a nice move,and we only say not yet thanks!
Now,dear Southerners it’s important taking yourselves down and get on to evaluate every move for it’s really a defining moment.We got to gain momentum on the referendum,and let’s not be shame to ourselves by introducing ‘bureaucracy’ and then say, after all 51% ‘S ONLY needed.
It’s better having 100% registered voters and 100% separation .
Lastly,to my fellow northerners we ‘re not going far away,but we ‘re trying to rescue the misguided souls on any decision that might come out of it.It’s been long time coming,exposed to harsh conditions of Islam, and it was like we got to come out of it.Will only say,we can’t make it together,diversity ‘s surely proving it.
Wishing Southerners a wonderful quick decision,You don’t have to be told how to define your destiny,because you been feeling it but,if at all u don’t know then,ask me what!
Young Nation
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
Dear Southerners’
Do SPLM really know what NCP meant by not utilizing or including the recent census for the coming referendum but not in the elections? I hope the leaders of SPLM know what it means. My instinct tells me that, since South Sudanese living in the North are permitted to participate in the coming referendum, the NCP is trying to masked the recent census of Southerners that stands at less than 600, 000 according to them. For the NCP, retaining 600,000 as the number of South Sudanese in the North or Khartoum, as revealled by the last year’s population census, would allowed no more than this particular number of Southerners to participate in the coming referendum.
Accepting this NCP’s move is one of the biggers’ strategic errors ever endorsed by the SPLM leadership. Anything that members of NCP simply agree on regarding South/North issue especially during this post CPA era is based on their own strategic calculation. SPLM must be vigilence and warned of this.
God bless South Sudan with all its tribes, small and big.
wol malei
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
Southernese should be very very careful with arab rullers, is not easy for to agrees everything at once like that, otherwise there is plan B which is not far from flawn/rigging the votes or any main of controlling the outcome, be ready to reject that outcome and do it your own way. they r untrust worthy.
Mel mosa
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
Oh before I read all this article it automatically come to mind that NCP have other stricky about the refrienduim. They will increase more than they count during the sensus and make it as that vote for united. The SPLM must be careful about that through adjusting the bill of referendum.
Oracle
Sudan NCP drops census data for referendum
This is welcome but VERY suspicious news. Why did such a non co-operative regime just relent without any visible gains for them. The US administration is dangling carrots in the face of Bashir and his cronies, and they are willing to take them and the country in a whole new, and most possibly turbulent period in our short peace. This fits perfectly with the West’s policy of keeping African states at civil tension at any cost. This combined with their non commital and non concrete aid, has kept us underdeveloped and poor for generations. South Sudan could choose to declare unilateral independence if the border is finalised before the referendum, and then we could get on with the business of facing the big enemy that does not want us to grow as well as keeping an eye on the near northern enemy.