US says South Sudan referendum running behind schedule
May 12, 2010 (WASHINGTON) — The US special envoy to Sudan Scott Gration warned today that the preparations for the 2011 self-determination referendum are running well behind schedule and that logistics are compounding the challenges towards accomplishing the key part of the peace deal.
It is widely expected that Southerners emerging bitter after two decades of civil war that claimed 2 million lives mostly through hunger and disease will opt for secession even though many countries in the region are opposed to it.
“There has to be better voter education. There has to be a better system of logistics and procedures, administration,” Gration told the Foreign Relations Committee.
“The referendum commission has to be appointed by the [Sudanese] national assembly, they have to be financed, and they have to be given the training,” he said.
The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have yet to announce their picks to the referendum commission pending formation of a new government following last month’s elections.
“I think it’s possible to get done everything we have to get done, but we can’t waste another minute. The time is now,” the US official said.
He highlighted a number of outstanding issues between the North and the South that require resolution for the referendum to take place including the demarcation of the borders and splitting oil revenues. He further expressed concern over registration southern Sudanese voters abroad many of who are unable to produce birth certificates needed to show they are from the south.
“They have to register people outside, in 14 different nations, and they don’t have a system achieved to do that,” he said.
Gration said lessons need to be learned from the shortcomings of last month’s elections that were marred by allegations of fraud and boycott by several major political parties.
“We have to take the lessons from the elections and turn them into solutions for the referendum,” he said.
The U.S. is particularly concerned that a new in South Sudan would be to mass bloodshed in the next few years
Adm. Dennis C. Blair, the national intelligence director, has said that of all the countries at risk of experiencing a widespread massacre in the next five years, “a new mass killing or genocide is most likely to occur in southern Sudan.”
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) asked the envoy whether it would make his job easier if Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.N. Ambassador Susan E. Rice “took a more visible role in this, so as to heighten the level of importance that our American government places on this issue.”
Wicker also read a letter from Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.) calling on Obama to put those two senior officials more directly in charge of Sudan policy.
Gration responded that Rice is already “working the issue very hard” and that Clinton “has been superb.” He added: “She continues to help in every way she can.”
Committee Chairman John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) echoed Wicker’s concerns. Kerry told Gration: “I think you ought to get a little more leverage on this effort, because I don’t think it’s going to happen at the current pace.”
Several U.S. advocacy groups welcomed Gration assessment of the situation in Sudan but cautioned that without pressuring Khartoum any strategy aimed at resolving the conflicts would be bound to fail.
(ST)
Seigneur
South Sudan isn’t a danger to herself
We are ready for self detarmination we are not looking bahind but we look farword for the bright futur of suothern sudan, we don’t want to be under seria law we are christian and we dont eginor the other religiou
wirikumbawambia
kulea
US says South Sudan referendum running behind schedule
the president of United State has right to eliminated the junk sudanese politic that can spoil the peace agreement between South and Northern of Sudan,
thank Baracka for the action
Machingela gai
US says South Sudan referendum running behind schedule
Mr. Graton,
You need to make that move of implementing everything quicker than saying it before the referendum time has arrived. Make it clear once and again that this is the right time to act than any other time later. Both sides should deal with the CPA’s schedule mandate accordingly. No complains, no cheap politics this time.
Also, you zip up your mouth on how the South will become a war field in five years time after referendum is held. You are not a propagandist, you are a mediator and that means that you need to keep your words from being misinterpreted by others and by Southerners in particular. Late the North continues to make that inferior evil wish, but not you.
Don’t say anything too far from our concern topic, the referendum. Our enemies are working daily in making South not a recognized state for whatever reasons they put out there to convince international community to favor them in the ruling.
You better close your hears and don’t buy that if you are a true man of character. CPA is the only thing that will bring both sides to identify their good and wrong deeds. Don’t judge issues by what others say, act your way and get the results.
babadit
US says South Sudan referendum running behind schedule
We southerners are only waiting for one thing to happen then we declear unilateral independence of south sudan.