South Sudan Taskforce to organize voters in the Diaspora for referendum

By James Gatdet Dak

August 23, 2010 (JUBA) – The established referendum Taskforce in Southern Sudan has resolved to organize Southern Sudanese in the Diaspora into referendum coordinating committees in their respective countries, particularly in the locations which the referendum law allows residents to vote during the seven-day referendum.

These countries include Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt, America, Europe and Australia, during which their organizations into committees will be done in consultation with the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) Liaison Offices.

The decision was confirmed during the meeting of the Referendum Taskforce Oversight Committee under the chairmanship of the Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar. It was also resolved that a team from the appropriate committee(s) of the Taskforce will travel to the eight countries to educate and enlighten Diaspora voters on the process of the upcoming referendum.

In supporting the facilitation of the referendum process, the Taskforce also resolved that all the assets under the custody of the government and which were purchased specifically for the conduct of the April elections should be diverted to the referendum process. It also resolved to establish a mechanism for the engagement of organizations wishing to campaign for the referendum in and outside the country.

The Southern Sudan 2011 Taskforce was established by President Salva Kiir Mayardit under the chairmanship of the Vice President, to prepare the region for the smooth conduct of the plebiscite.

The Taskforce is sub-divided into three main sub-committees: first on the conduct of the referendum itself up to the 9th January 2011, or ending by declaration of results; second on post-referendum issues and the third sub-committee on preparing the Government of Southern Sudan for post-2011 governance in the region.

On the referendum sub-committee, which officials say is the most critical one the group will further form states coordinating committees in each of the ten states in the South. Central Equatoria state has already formed its committee under the Deputy Governor, Manase Lomole, who will act as the contact person in coordination with the GoSS Oversight Committee.

The cabinet last week approved 150 million Sudanese pounds subject to further endorsement by the region’s parliament. The money will be under the custody of the office of the President, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit. 5 million Sudanese pounds budget was also approved for the work of the Taskforce Technical Secretariat, to be administered by the Minister in the Office of the President, Dr. Cirino Hiteng, who is the Taskforce’s Secretary.

The Taskforce will financially support civil society organizations that are actively carrying out civic education on the referendum across the ten states in the region. Many civil society organizations have already shown their visibility under many different names. However, officials fear that some of them may not be genuine for the task; hence the need for their scrutiny before offering them support and entrusting them with the task.

The people of Southern Sudan, per the 2005 North-South peace deal, have less than five months to conduct a referendum on 9th January 2011 to either choose to confirm the current unity of Sudan or create their own independent country.

(ST)