Unity State High Referendum Committee delivers voting materials

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

January 5, 2011 (BENTIU) – The deputy chairperson of the Unity State High Referendum Committee Simon Majak Majok says they received the voting materials from the South Sudan Referendum Commission on Saturday for the region’s independence plebiscite.

Majok said the State High Referendum Committee has distributed the ballots paper on Monday to the nine Unity State counties. Voting is due to run from January 9 -15.

The state chairperson told Sudan Tribune on Monday that four convoys of vehicles have been organized to transport the ballot papers to the eight counties which have good road access. The United Nations will use helicopters to reach areas with a poor road network.

Majok promised that he will make sure all materials reach counties before voting begins on Sunday. Southerners are widely expected to vote for independence in the referendum, which was agreed as part of a 2005 peace deal between former southern rebels the SPLM and the Khartoum government controlled by the NCP.

Young people and women are being especially targeted by information campaigns to encourage them to take part. The first day of voting, January 9, has been declared a public holiday to allow people to try and increase the turnout.

Participation of registered voters is significant as a turnout of over 60% is needed for the result to be valid under the referendum law passed by Sudan’s National assembly.

The deputy governor William Dawuot Riak said on Tuesday that the state authorities, SSRC, international community and the referendum observers will work together to make sure the south’s referendum is conducted on time.

(ST)