Sudanese rights group congratulates Southerners for referendum on independence

In the starting day of South Sudan Referendum today, the Sudan Human Rights Organization congratulates the people in South Sudan for this historic event which enabled them for the first time in the history of modern Sudan to exercise the right of self-determination, as scheduled by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

With grave concerns over mounting tensions in Abyei between different ethnic inhabitant groups, which requires continuous peaceful negotiations in the local and national levels to develop satisfactory ending of the conflict, the Organization appreciates the serious commitment and the good efforts by both governments of the country, as well as opposition National Forces, to support the Government of South Sudan to operate the referendum in a climate of peace and sisterly relations.

Still, the exclusion of the country’s opposition forces that ensued in poor implementation of the CPA by governmental partners throughout the CPA passing years (2005-2010) should be firmly avoided in the post-referendum period: The ultimate peace of Sudan will be consolidated by a permanent and just peace and development consensus, agreement, and performance in the North-South and the Darfur-Khartoum political relations by the full participation of all Darfuri groups, the Sudanese democratic opposition, and the governments in Juba and Khartoum.