Ethiopia: Over 10,000 registered for South Sudan independence vote
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
November 30, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) – Some 10,500 South Sudanese including those undocumented, living in neighboring Ethiopia have so far registered for south Sudan’s January independence vote, the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) liaison office in Addis Ababa said on Tuesday.
Ethiopia is one of eight countries where Out-of-Country Voting (OVC) is taking place for the 2011 Southern Sudan Referendum.
The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC) recently announced its decision to extend the registration period for the Southern Sudan Referendum both in Sudan and in all eight out-of-country registration and voting countries, including Ethiopia.
The referendum, a vote promised in a 2005 peace deal, which ended decades of north-south civil war, will allow people from the oil-rich south a chance to decide whether they should secede to create a new state or remain in a united Sudan.
The UN estimates that two million people were killed and four million people forced to leave their homes in what was Africa’s longest civil war. As well as fleeing to the north, many southern Sudanese sought safety in neighboring countries like Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.
Despite a 2005 peace deal many southern Sudanese have remained in abroad, some still living in the refugee camps they fled to during the war.
In Ethiopia, voter registration is taking place at three centers, in the capital Addis Ababa as well as in Gambella and Asossa towns in southern Ethiopia nearer the border with Sudan.
“In Addis Ababa around 5,000 have registered so far and another 4,000 and 1,500 have also registered at the camps in Gambela and Asossa towns respectively” deputy head of GoSS foreign mission, David Dung told Sudan Tribune.
IOM-ARRA DISPUTE OVER VOTER REGISTRATION
The Government of South Sudan (GoSS) office in Addis Ababa said the registration process is running smoothly with the help of the International Organizations for Migration (IOM) and the government of Ethiopia.
But the office admit that there has been a dispute between the IOM and Ethiopia’s Administration for Refugees and Returnees Affairs (ARRA) over the identification needed to register.
According to the GoSS office, ARRA, an implementing partner of UN refugee agency (UNHCR), has at the beginning barred undocumented Sudanese refugees from exercising their rights to register.
The move has led to a dispute between the International Organizations for Migration (IOM) and ARRA also led to a protest from Sudanese population in Ethiopia.
However, GOSS’s deputy head of mission David Dung says the dispute has been resolved.
“There has been a little engagement in disagreement between IOM and ARRA regarding the undocumented refugees but was later solved after talks among IOM, ARRA, the UN and the government of Ethiopia” David Dung told Sudan Tribune.
He said extension of registration period will allow all Sudanese including those without documents as well as those who have doubts about the process to change their minds and register for the poll.
“The Ethiopian government is providing security service at all the registration centers incase to any troubles” he added.
Registration for eligible Southern Sudanese in Ethiopia will continue until December 8 and centers will remain open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Saturday and from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm on Sunday.
Actual referendum polling will also take place at the same centers from 09 to 15 January 2011.
(ST)
Young Nation
Ethiopia: Over 10,000 registered for South Sudan independence vote
It would be sad if our Anyuak and Nuer citizens of Ethiopian brothers and sisters betray us by registering and failing to turnup at the 9th Jan 2011 vote. This would definitely sabotage our precious dream of South Sudan nation.
This might happen if they accepted to be bribed by Khartoum with the facilitation from Southern individuals within the NCP like Dr. Riek Gai and others. I have a feeling that those of Riek Gai and others would not attempt to transport NCP dollars to Lou Nuer since Lou Nuer are among the tough compaigners of secession like the rest of other communities in the South. Please watch out brothers and sisters at various voting centers throughout Ethiopia. The war against such enemies is difficult and traceable.
Young Nation is a BA Student at UQ, Australia
kaci-banno
Ethiopia: Over 10,000 registered for South Sudan independence vote
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I’m not trusting about south Sudanese who lives in Ethiopia refugee camps to vote for our interest. Even the number that is mentioned, seems untrue because the numbers of South Sudanese refugee in two camps in Ethiopia, can’t reach after 10,000 unless there are some Barta people in sherkole refugee camp register along with south Sudanese. Please be carefully!
By: Kaci-Ma-bano
Aleu
Ethiopia: Over 10,000 registered for South Sudan ind vote
Tesfa Alerm Tekle.
We are appreciated your report and we might also thanks Ethiopian government if you guys are truly committed so far to do the trust worth that will be a good thing between two countries. Back to the history of the SPLA/SPLM Movement which it was born in Ethiopia in 1983, when Southern Sudanese were mood to moved away from her government Sudan and successful ended 2005, in Kenya both two countries will be in the history of Southern Sudan in years to come and Africa if the referendum passing on January 9,2011.
Our brothers of Nuers and Anyuak of Southern Sudanese must know that, this is an easy fights when ask to register they must do so and show up in larges numbers turnout and vote precisely the coming January 9, 2011. I would also like to tell these our brothers of Anyuak and Nuers in Gambella and others areas to observing very carefully about who is really registers in that region, because we have been hearing now some none Southern Sudanese have took part in registering in Northern Uganda the region that belong to Joseph Kony of LRA when ask then, they says, they are from Zade tribe in Southern Sudan but later people asking them again seriously about theirs location from there they actually failed to give the location name which mean that, Northern Sudan government are wasting every dollar day and night to make sure the the simple majority will not be receives on January but Southern Sudanese people are so tired from our brothers of Northern domination and they are ready to reject such an Old tactices they used in the Sudan.
Anyuak and Nuers brothers must works very hard in trying to know exactly who are those registers people if they don’t know them then, they should not allow to deceiving our rights in this imporant time we Southern Sudanese put our hopes on it. Personal I do not trust Ethiopian president Mel, because I have been seen having a strongly friendship with Omar al Bashir but I do trust the rest of Ethiopian citizens, they are really an African in meaningful way just like Southern Sudanese people do.