South Africa criticizes Sudan’s rush to elections at an “inopportune” time

April 18, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The South African government this week expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as a rush on the part of Sudan to hold elections at an “inopportune” time.

On Thursday Sudan concluded its presidential, gubernatorial and legislative polls, set up under a 2005 peace deal that ended two decades of north-south civil war that were supposed to help transform the troubled oil-producing nation into a democracy.

However, the elections were marred by a boycott of several major opposition parties and logistical problems that led to a two day extension in the voting period. Two heavyweight Northern opposition groups which took part in the polls announced that they will not recognize its results alleging fraud.

The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) appeared heading to a landslide victory in the North of the country at all levels.

South Africa’s Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on a visit to Tunisia this week said that last week’s elections in Sudan had taken place at an “inopportune” time – conditions on the ground were not ideal, according to the Sunday Independent newspaper.

Motlanthe said that an unstable Sudan – the continent’s biggest country – had implications for many other African countries.

“It is a great concern. Sudan shares borders with 10 other African states, therefore… if it implodes… it destabilizes many other African countries. So it is in our interests to contribute towards peace and stability in Sudan” Motlanthe said.

“A number of… parties pulled out of the election. That in itself already creates circumstances for the election outcomes not to be accepted by all because they have these concerns about aspects of the preparations. The conditions are not ideal,” he said. “These elections could not have happened at a more inopportune time.”

“One would have asked for more time for the peace process to take root, as well as the outstanding question relating to the comprehensive peace agreement with the South to be addressed. Then the country as a whole could have gone to a better election,” he said.

The semi-autonomous South Sudan was concerned that any delay in elections would mean that the 2011 referendum would be pushed back. Some African countries are less enthusiastic about secession of South Sudan believing it will fuel similar sentiments in other parts of the continent.

Analysts say NCP leader and incumbent president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir is keen to win a convincing victory to legitimize his rule and fend off International Criminal Court (ICC) charges that he masterminded war crimes during the seven-year conflict in Sudan’s western Darfur region.

Bashir threatened the South that there will be no referendum if elections are postponed.

“That voters – with those in the South making their crosses for the first time – had to cope with up to 12 ballot papers could have been cumbersome for some, especially without much voter education” said Motlanthe.

On a separate issue Motlanthe said that the kidnapping of four South African peacekeepers last Sunday in Darfur was “regrettable” and expressed hope for their return.

“The kidnapping of the soldiers is regrettable and we hope that no harm will happen to them,” he said.

The two men and two women were taken from just outside Darfur’s largest town Nyala five days ago, and a group purporting to be their captors told Reuters they were demanding a ransom of around $450,000

A wave of kidnappings of foreign nationals in Sudan’s west has restricted aid operations to the more than 4 million people affected by the rebellion in the vast desert region, mostly by young armed men demanding money.

South Africa has 165 police officers and about 800 soldiers in Sudan as part of the UN/African Union (UNAMID) mission.

(ST)