Jonglei state receives voting materials for referendum

December 30, 2010 (BOR) – Items needed for polling on 9 January, 2011 referendum on south Sudan’s independence vote have reached most centers in Jonglei state, officials say.

Kits, packed with ballots papers among other materials, were flown to Bor, the state capital last week and shall have arrived to 11 counties’ headquarters by Friday December 31, according to John Boloc, a public outreach officer for State High Committee (SHC) for referendum in a briefing to Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

“I think transportation will not be a problem this time in many counties in Jonglei state,” said Boloc when asked to speak about obstacles facing the SHC.

Last month’s voter registration was marred by delays and interruptions in Jonglei state due to floods that made some roads inaccessible. At the end of registration on December 8, the SHC, nevertheless, declared the exercise as a success. Over 430,000 people registered to vote in Jonglei state. This represents 71.7% of the state’s projected 600,000 eligible 18+ year-old southern Sudanese.

In Duk, Nyirol and Fangak counties, some flooded and swampy areas may not be reached by car till after January 9 and local officials will transport the materials, Boloc noted.

“By tomorrow [Friday], both sensitive and non-sensitive materials shall have reached headquarters of all the 11 counties,“ said Boloc.

In Pigi county, where George Athor Deng, an army general who rebelled after losing the race to become Jonglei governor in April 2010 who clashed with the southern army in December, the ground is also smooth for vote to commence next month according to officials.

Jonglei’s State High Committee confirmed to Sudan Tribune that materials for January 9 polling were being airlifted by the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). Each county has a car that is supposed to help carry staff and voter materials to all centers by January 6 before polling day on January 9 according to SHC.

Polling center staff are due to undergo a training exercise on how to handle voters on Sunday January 2.

Southern Sudan’s independence referendum is a result of a 2005 peace accord that ended two decades of north—south civil war. Southerners will choose to vote for either unity of Africa’s largest country or for the southern region to separate. Most observers say that the secession of the south is the most likely option.

(ST)