Juba: Thousands queue to vote in South Sudan referendum

By Julius N. Uma

January 9, 2011 (JUBA) – Thousands of Southern Sudanese began voting Sunday in the region’s long-awaited self-determination referendum, in what several analysts believe could lead to the eventual creation of Africa’s 54th nation.

The week-long vote, which started on Sunday, is a key part of the Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). About 3.9 million registered southerners both from within and in the Diasporas are expected to vote in the referendum.

In Juba, the regional state capital, businesses remained closed while the main roads were almost deserted. Military trucks occasionally patrolled the city center, a sign that the process was closely being monitored by the heavily deployed security forces.

At Dr. John Garang Mausoleum polling center, huge voters turned out to vote. Long queues characterized the official commencement of the long-awaited moment, as visibly excited voters expressed their eagerness to cast the vote that is likely to change the current status of the semi-autonomous region.

The center, located just next to Southern Sudan’s Parliament is the place where John Garang de Mabior, the former leader of the Southern-based rebel group turned governing party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, who led the over two-decade war against the Khartoum government. Garang died just months after signing the CPA.

South Sudanese, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the first person to be registered at the center described the event an “historic moment”, urging the southern population to freely exercise their right though a peaceful exercise.

“This is the very historic moment the people of South Sudan have been waiting for,” Kiir, also Sudan’s first vice president told over 400 accredited reporters in Juba.

He openly called for calm and patience among the voters, saying those who may not get the opportunity to vote on Sunday, could still do the same another day. Voting officially ends on January 15.

Officially, polling stations open at 8:00 am (0500 GMT), although some centers had voters queuing as early as 6:00am (0300 GMT), while they close at 5:00pm (1400 GMT).

“I left home as early as 5:00am just to ensure that I am among the first 100 people to vote in this referendum. This is what every southerner, including myself have been waiting for,” a visibly excited John Garang (no relation to the former SPLM leader), 32 told Sudan Tribune in an interview at the crowd-packed mausoleum.

Within the vicinity, however, thousands of jubilant South Sudanese eagerly awaited in long queues while others danced to local music provided by local artists and traditional dancers.

When Sudan Tribune visited polling stations of Hai Malakal, St. Bakhita Kator primary school, Home and Away hotel and Munuki west, all had long queues stretching to approximately 150 meters.

At Kator primary school, former US President Jimmy Carter, who is currently leading the foreign observers’ team, called for a free, fair and transparent referendum, which he said should respect the will and decisions of the majority of South Sudanese.

“As we undertake this exercise, we need to take into account the importance of respecting the will and decisions of the southern population who longed for this historic moment,” said Carter, who was accompanied by Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General.

KEY FIGURES AT POLLING CENTERS

Barnaba Benjamin Marial, the Information and Broadcasting minister in the southern government said the referendum provides the ultimate opportunity for the southern people to decide their destiny and that of the future generations.

Marial downplayed fears resulting from Saturday’s clashes between the southern army and militia men loyal to renegade officer, Gatluak Gai. The incident, which happened prior to the start of voting, has threatened to disrupt the anticipated peaceful exercise in Unity state.

The army, Marial told journalists, reportedly arrested 32 of Gai’s fighters and that they will face the rule of law and prosecuted, if found guilty.

“The clash between the army and this militia groups was simply an isolated incident aimed at disrupting the peaceful conduct of the referendum. But being a credible government, we were able to contain the situation, arrest some suspects and investigations will continue,” the Information and Broadcasting minister told journalists at Dr. John Garang mausoleum.

Hollywood star, George Clooney, a long-time campaigner for Sudan, long described the launch of the self-determination referendum as a “great day for the entire world,” saying the choice of the southerners needed to be respected.

Also present were US envoys Scott Gration and John Kerry, both of who were impressed with the turnout of voters in all polling stations. South Sudan alone has over 2,600 polling stations, while about 160 centers are based in the north.

(ST)