Sudanese in Ethiopia voting for country’s presidency seat
By Tesfa Alem Tekle
April 12, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) – Hundreds of Sudanese residing in Ethiopia are smoothly casting their votes in the presence of election observers here in Addis Abab since yesterday.
Voting in Addis Ababa began early on Sunday with Sudanese Ambassador to Ethiopia, Moheieddin Salim Ahmed, casting the first vote.
A according to the Sudanese embassy, there were nearly one thousand eligible Sudanese in Ethiopia however most didn’t register.
Ambassador Moheieddin affirmed that the process being going on smoothly pointing out that the number of registered voter amount to more than 230. He added that the voting process is taking place in the presence of observers.
Nevertheless, Sudanese refugees in Ethiopian refugee camps, one of the largest in neighboring countries, will not participate.
“We have talked to the UNHCR and they said the refugees cannot vote. We are convinced with their explanation,” the Ambassador told reporters.
The voting here is underway with observers from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the African Union (AU) and the Arab League.
Voting in Sudan’s first multi-party elections in 24 years is underway for a second day amid reports of confusion and delay in many regions.
The presidential, parliamentary and state polls are part of the comprehensive peace agreement that ended Sudan’s north-south civil war.
For many in Southern Sudan, these elections are a prelude to the referendum next January on self-determination.
Sudanese residing outside the country participate only in the presidential vote. They have no representatives in the national parliament.
The Electoral Commission of Sudan, voting to the presidential elections is underway in 21 countries, including in nine Arab countries, five European and four African states, in addition to the United States, Canada and Malaysia. Voters abroad are said to amount about 0.8 percent of the total Sudanese who are entitled to vote estimated at nearly 16 million.
(ST)