Release referendum funds, UN panel urges Sudan government
By Julius N. Uma
October 15, 2010 (JUBA) The Government of National Unity (GoNU) and its southern counterpart should release funds set aside for the normal operations of Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC) and its bureau, Benjamin Mkapa, the Chairperson of the UN Secretary-General’s panel on Sudan’s referenda has urged.
“Funding from both the Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan is lagging. They must come forward with their share of the funds so that the commission and bureau can carry out their work,” Mkapa’s October 15 press release read.
Mkapa was appointed by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in September.
With voter registration scheduled to begin November 14, the referendum bureau still lacks the capacity to operate, with no offices across the 10 states of southern Sudan.
The state referendum high committees still lack structures and many have not yet appointed country sub-committees.
Last week, however, Justice Chan Reec, the SSRC Deputy Chairperson said about $370m has been approved by government for funding the ongoing referendum processes, albeit the money has reportedly not yet been released. The government also approved money meant for operations of the state referendum high committee for a month.
Mkapa, who was the Tanzanian President from 1995 to 2005, also held talks with Sudan President Omar al-Bashir and his southern Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir Mayardit, as well as senior officials from both governments; members of the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission and Bureau; the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Abyei Administration; civil society; observer groups; international organizations; donors and the diplomatic community.
The key issues discussed, centered on the challenges facing the referenda process, citing lack of funding, time constraints, lack of organizational capacities, security concerns and uncertainty on post-referendum arrangements.
Reacting to the failed Abyei negotiations in Addis Ababa, Mkapa remarked:
“We intend to return for our next visit next month when voter registration begins. In the meantime, we have a team of staff being deployed across the country, including in every state in the south, and who will talk regularly with all stakeholders.”
He said his panel will play a fundamental role on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General to help ensure that the referenda in Southern Sudan and the Abyei Area are free and fair, and to offer recommendations when and if required.
“We are not here to run the referenda process, or be election observers, or certify the results. This is a Sudanese-owned process, and the primary responsibility for ensuring that the referenda are credible lies with the Sudanese themselves,” Mkapa said in the statement.
“The role of the international community is to provide support to them.”
The referendum, scheduled for 9 January represents the decisive milestone in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended more than two decades of war.
(ST)
Akolde Nhiak Jinub
Release referendum funds, UN panel urges Sudan government
Mr. former President of Tanizania Benjamin, thank you very much for seeing these delaying tactics of Khartoum’s regime (NCP)and for telling what its motives behind this vote are.
In essence, NCP isn’t very ready and willing to give anything to South Sudan as agreed in CPA. Can you imagine 23% of oil revenue has been remitted to South Sudan for over five years. Truly, NCP is a jihad party and extremists, fundamentalists’ Arabs from nowhere in Middle East.
If there exists our so-called International Community, tell them of what is going on in Sudan and being done by NCP. By the way, they have seen it with their own eyes, Susan Rice did see all is happening in Sudan during her led UNSC visit to Sudan last week!
Every portion of CPA protocols haven’t been implemented by NCP in good faith at all.
But let NCP cronies know that South Sudan isn’t willing to fight, but can do that with full gear for its sovernity as indications are already clear now.
This war, NCP should know will be fought in Khartoum or as a regional war. Time for Darfur to get their rights out this too. Eastern Sudan to find its rightful place in Sudan.
South Sudan Independence Oyeee! SPLA Oyeee!!! SPLM Oyeee! People of South Sudan Oyee!
Referendum of South Sudan MUST take place by hook or crook or else gun barrel (AK 47) will give Southerners their solution! We can’t be tired of war, when we haven’t got what we want to exist, our South Sudan country! Millions lives have been lost for this struggle during fifty years of Sudan crisis, however, more are to be sacrificed now for South Independence, come what may!!
Akolde