Western Equatoria conducts peaceful referendum despite security concerns

January 10, 2011 (YAMBIO) – Western Equatoria state joined the rest of Sudan in the voting day of the referendum on self-determination of southern Sudan as stipulated in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which was signed six years ago in Nairobi, Kenya, between the Khartoum government and the former rebels, the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement.

The sense of euphoria, determination and enthusiasm remains high in Western Equatoria as voters entered into a second day of the referendum on whether to remain part of a united Sudan or form Africa’s newest nation.

Huge crowds withstood blistering heat to participate in what may be the end of 55 years of struggle.

Western Equatoria governor, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro casted his vote a few minutes after the polls opened.

Bakosoro says he is already “in an independent country, new era and new beginning” right after voting in Yambio town centre on the first day of southern Sudan’s referendum exercise.

Bakosoro says “it is a serious matter that everybody has to follow” adding that “in the culture of Western Equatoria state all people have to follow what the leader says.”

The governor urged every citizen of Western Equatoria “to follow suit and vote for the freedom of southern Sudan.”

Most people turned up for polls at dawn at around 4.00am in the coldness of the dry season, donning sweaters and jumpers in order to cast their votes. Some voters spent the night at one of the 187 polling centres across the state. The referendum exercise will run for seven days from 9-16 January 2011.

The Referendum Commission says the referendum results will be announced on 7 February 2011 and in the case of any interruptions, it would be announced on 14 February 2011, reports Sudan News Agency (SuNA).

The commissioner of Nzara county, Elia Richard Box was appreciative of the high turnout at all 11 centres, adding that the security situation remained stable.

He expressed his pleasure at finding that voter makeup was estimated “women constituting 95% of the first day in Nzara County.”

According to State Referendum High Committee, women in Western Equatoria registered 50.6% of the registered voters.

In Western Equatoria during the first day’s polling priority was given to women and elderly people, according to a common understanding between the citizens of the state.

Box said, “As the last day of our struggle, we slaughtered a bull as sacrifice and started with prayers as Christians.”

Despite prevailing insecurity allegedly caused my marauding Ugandan rebels and members of the nomadic Ambororo ethnic group, the voting process has been largely peaceful.

The Chief Inspector of police Yambio county Isaac Choul on 9 January 2011 said that “security personnel have been deployed around Yambio to make sure there is proper security during the voting process.”

More than 150 policemen have been sent into the different centres to guard the voting as well as maintaining order.

The Anglican bishop, Peter Munde and the Catholic bishop, Edwardo Hiiboro Kussala, both of Yambio visited Gangara Emilia polling station and Nabagu polling station, on the Nzara road, where they encouraged people to vote wisely.

Munde stated that he and his wife cast their votes in Timbiro. He stressed that “people should vote for separation and should be patient at the queue because this is the only way [we] are going to change from slavery to freedom.”

Hiboro said he was very happy to have witnessed this day which people have been waiting for. He also emphasized that people should “bear with the queue” and think about the “past sufferings” of those who had brought to them to this point.

Speaking to Yambio FM, Hiiboro stressed that 9 January 2011 is potentially the beginning of a “new born nation” of “peace and freedom for the southerners”.

The retired Catholic bishop of Yambio, Joseph Gasi Abangite, casted his vote in Pazuo at the Yambio Secondary School polling centre where he spoke of the good turnout of people there to cast an historic votes.

(ST)