Sudan referendum commission calls on citizens to prepare for voter registration

September 18, 2010, (MALAKAL) — The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission called on citizens to prepare for voter registration tentatively scheduled to take place next October.

Chan Rec Madut, Deputy Chairperson of the referendum commission said that the country’s historic vote on self determination for the people of Southern Sudan is still set to go ahead.

Madut, who chairs the Juba based referendum bureau said activities and plans to conduct referendum are underway in the southern states despite stand off between the two regions to effect appointment of the secretariat.

“As of now, referendum activities in all the ten states of southern Sudan continue to go on. High executive committees in the states have already been formed and are consulting with counties to complete formation of subcommittees. They are also making operational budgets for submission to the commission. Some of them have already finished and others are finishing up,” explained Madut from Juba.

He called on the citizens to prepare for voter registration. “While the commission is setting up, it is important that our citizens prepare for voter registration,” he said.

“Media and civil society organizations as well as community activists need to increase efforts in sensitizing local population to adequately prepare for voter registration,” added the official.

Madut dismissed fears connected to delay associated with conduct of referendum.

“So far, no decision has been made to delay conduct of the referendum by the two parties. We have said this time and again that our people should not listen to unofficial messages.

“If they need any information about referendum, they should come to us or go to relevant authorities rather than becoming concerned from the street talks. Street talks needs to be verified from relevant authorities, because most of the talks from the streets sometimes come from no authority, just to raise attentions of the concerned. They must be meticulously listened and verified,” he warned.

The South Sudan referendum commission is well behind schedule on preparing for the plebiscite, casting doubts over whether the voter registration process can take place as planned in October.

This delay was caused primarily by the standoff between the North and South over the referendum law and then the composition of the commission.

Furthermore, many post-referendum arrangements have yet to be ironed out particularly border demarcation, oil sharing, citizenship, national debts and water.

Madut said differences between the two parties to the comprehensive peace agreement, the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) are cleared.

“Nobody is talking about delaying conduct of referendum at this point. That decision has not yet been made,” said Madut.

Many hope the upcoming vote will mark a turning point for the troubled oil producing country on the African soil, known only for successive authoritarian rule since winning independence from British in 1956.

Southern Sudanese will go to the poll to vote at a referendum scheduled to take place in January 2011.

The votes will decide the fate of the region whether to remain part of the united Sudan or break away to become newest state on the African soil.

This is in accordance with the 2005 Naivasha peace agreement between the central government led by the NCP and the SPLM.

(ST)