Referendum should be credible, free and fair – UN Envoy
By James Gatdet Dak
August 5, 2010 (JUBA) – The visiting United Nations Special Envoy to Sudan, Haile Menkarios, has expressed the importance of conducting a credible and free and fair referendum in Southern Sudan.
The meeting also noted the needed intervention by the UN Special Envoy in trying to persuade the two ruling parties, the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), to agree on the nomination of the Secretary General of the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission.
The two parties could not agree on the nomination and from which party the nominee would come to occupy the position, resulting to the delay of the process of which the lacking secretariat is an integral part. The voter registration which was supposed to begin on 9th July is already late by a month and may not begin until September.
The UN Envoy who earlier on met with the President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, also discussed the need to pursue a peaceful solution to the insecurity caused by forces loyal to the renegade General, George Athor Deng, and other similar rebelled officers before the conduct of the referendum on 9th January.
Also the two ruling partners in the government have not yet agreed on the post-referendum arrangements.
Meanwhile, the Southern Sudan 2011 Taskforce held its meeting on Wednesday chaired by the Vice President, Machar, to make the final preparations of the post-referendum sub-committee for the upcoming negotiations with the NCP due to start in Khartoum on Saturday.
Members of the four working groups on the negotiation position are expected to travel to Khartoum on Friday to participate in the negotiations.
The region is only left with five months to go for the referendum which is expected to result to a vote for independence.
(ST)