Sudan ex-PM warns of NCP reelection impact on country’s future
November 13, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The people of South Sudan should be expected to vote for independence in the event the ruling National Congress Party wins the April 2010 elections, the former prime minister said.
“The election of the NCP would carry the hostile spirit in its confrontation with the Sudan People’s Movement (SPLM) into the future and the situation in Darfur would deteriorate further, there would be polarization in the political forces because the NCP’s policy is one of exclusion, and there would also be a confrontation with the international community because the NCP had ended any talk about the International Criminal Court which is backed by the United States, Europe, and more than 106 countries which recognize and deal with it” he said in an interview with the London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
“I believe southern public opinion would reject unity if it thought that it would be a continuation of what is happening in the south at present, especially as security is deteriorating and there are major tribal conflicts in the south” he added.
Sudan is faced with two major events including the parliamentary and presidential elections next year and the referendum in the South early 2011.
However, both events are marred with hurdles as opposition parties made allegations of voter registration fraud and failure of the NCP-SPLM to agree on the referendum law.
Furthermore, Sudanese political parties stress that the “freedom restricting laws” prevent the conducting of fair and free elections.
Al-Mahdi said that the current environment is “unhealthy” because of disagreement between the NCP and SPLM disclosing that he called for a summit to include the political leaders of the country to work in improving the political atmosphere.
He cautioned that more needs to be done to ensure the integrity of the pre and post election process.
“The elections commission in Sudan is trying to play a neutral and national role but the political forces have prepared to monitor all the measures to ensure their honesty even though they [commission] have detected illegal conducts and voided them”.
He also pointed out that the period for registering for the elections, which started this month, is narrow because “it is the harvest month and the month of pilgrimage and Eid feast. All these preoccupations necessitate extending the registration period until the end of December”.
If these conditions are not secured the situation in Sudan could turn violent similar to Kenya and Zimbabwe, Al-Mahdi said.
Many critics say that the ruling party will seek to rigg the elections to secure dominance over the government making use of its control over security and media.
(ST)