NBGS: Police clashes with poll staff over delay of incentives

By Ngor Arol Garang

April 21, 2010 (WUNROK) — Authorities from the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State (NBGS) have confirmed a clash between local residents who participated in the recent poll and police forces over delay of their incentives.

National electoral body, prior to the conduct of the election, recruited poll staff and hired them based on agreement which allows advance payment of 75% of the total sum. The advance payment was reached after a contract of 1200 each polling official was signed, and 75% was immediately paid to the officials leaving little to be paid after the completion.

However, the polling officials who had initially wanted to be hired 3000 pounds each, insisted that their money be paid at once since the National Election Commission (NEC) has refused their demand, regardless of the terms and conditions stipulated in the agreement.

Major General Akot Deng Akot, director of police in the state, said a group of poll officials entered NEC office in the town this morning at 10:00 Am, demanding immediate payment of their dues without excuses.

According to him, the NEC representatives in Aweil received their complaints through their leaders and told them that the money would soon be delivered but the group insisted. The officials called Khartoum in the presence of some of their leaders over the issue but still they did understand themselves and refused to leave the office blocking work of the officials.

Over the telephone communications between Aweil and Khartoum, it was, according to official statements we received from NEC representative, reported that money for all polling officials , in the whole southern Sudan, is being worked on for transfer to Juba for all southern states, he explained. This has been repeatedly explained to the polling officials even when they wanted to go on strike during voting process but seemed not to have understood, he said.

Officials tried their best to convince poll officials but all in vain. They did not want to listen and talk to anybody. They wanted money immediately without explanations. All they were told were lies and so wanted to beat up officials at the national elections office, General Akot said.

This , he said, because they were misbehaving as some of them were trying to violently and aggressively block officials from work, the authorities therefore felt it was necessary to sent police forces to contain the situation since they could no longer listen to one another.

“We intervened because, it as was becoming security issue as two of the parties agents were unable to forge way forward. Neither NEC officers nor polling officials were able to listen and get to common understanding and agree on something.

Each party felt the other side was not telling the truth and so failed to understand each other completely, he said declining to comment on allegations that police used force to disperse the crowd. Some eyewitness said they have seen police cocking guns and firing live bullets over the crowd during strike in the town. Claims of beating and arrest have also been reported but without casualties.

Akot Garang Lual, a poll official in the area who participated in the strike said decided to go on strike because peaceful negotiations have failed several times.

“We started asking our dues long before the poll begun,” he said adding “We held lots of meetings with NEC officials without successful outcome,” he said adding that they have been telling us that Khartoum is working on transfer of our money.

“How long it takes Khartoum to finish transferring money, he asked. It is long since we started asking them to pay us;” he said accusing national elections commission that something must have happened to their money.” If our money is stolen, they should tell us openly that so we look for other options,” he said.

However, an official from the Commission, who requested anonymity, brushed aside the accusations. “We have done nothing with the money;” the official said adding that they have all been paid 75% and the remaining percentage was to be paid after the work is completed.

This remaining percentage as we have already explained to them is still with Khartoum and will be paid after completion of the work. According to the official, the contract between the polling stations and the national elections commission was for 1200 pound (one thousand two hundred Sudanese pounds each).

Out of this money, according to the contractual agreement, 75% of the total money, equivalent to 750 (seven hundred and fifty pounds) has already been paid leaving little to be paid after completion of the work.

(ST)