Initial results in N. Bahr el Ghazal show huge vote for separation

By Ngor Arol Garang

January 15, 2011 (ABYEI) – With polling at some stations in Northern Bahr el Ghazal completed before the last day of voting on Saturday initial results show a huge vote in favor of southern secession.

Robert Majok Kuol Kuol, a senior member of the five member referendum high committee in the state, told Sudan Tribune from Wanyjok town, an administrative headquarters of Aweil East county that almost all voters at one center have voted for the south to separate from the north.

“In Pangap, a center in which I was registered and voted, all the eligible registered voters turned out and voted for separation. We just have finished the counting process. No single person in Pangap was found to have voted for any other option than separation,” announced Majok.

Kuol added that the referendum had been conducted peacefully in the area.

South Sudan’s independence referendum was granted to the region as part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended decades of civil war. The week-long vote is widely expected to see the south, where people following Christianity and traditional African believes, opt to form its own country.

At Pagai polling center, polling officer, Andrea Ariik Piol Tiek, told Sudan Tribune that 1,939 out of 1,944 registered voters had voted in favor of remaining united with the mainly Islamic north.

“We had 1,944 people who registered in our center during registration period. From this figure, only 4 people did not manage to return in order to cast their votes but 1940 and returned voted. And from 1,940, only 2 votes were spoiled leaving 1939 eligible voters. So, in our counting, we founded out 1,939 voted for separation. No single vote was found for unity,” said Piol.

The official said the whole village had started celebrating the results as soon as they were announced. “As you can hear, the noise you hear is celebration of the results,” told Sudan Tribune over the phone on Saturday.

Participation in Northern Bahr el Ghazal has reached 97.6% according to Garang Kuot Kuot, a Secretary General of the state government and a member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, the region’s ruling party.

The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission announced earlier this week that the quorum of over 60% of registered voters was reached after just three days of voting. A vote of 50% plus one is needed in favor of separation in order for the south to secede according to the referendum law passed by Sudan’s parliament.

Lucy Ayak Malek, a member of the five member subcommittee in the Aweil East County said they have also started receiving reports of announced voting results in favor of separation.

“We were receiving the turnout percentage in the morning but we have now started receiving reports of announced results from various polling stations. These announced results come out all in favor of separation. We have not received any single report of announced result in favor unity. All the reports of announced results we have received so far come out in favor of separation,” explained Ayak.

Kuot, of the referendum high committee in the state said the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have made history by turning out in staggering numbers.

“On this seventh day of voting the turnout for the entire state, according to the data received by the SPLM operation room in the State, stands at 97.6 percent and this is expected to increase by day’s end as some data is yet arrived,” he said.

Congratulating the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state for their massive participation, the official said he expects the total turnout to reach between 98 to 99.9%.

“So far, the information with figures from all polling centers in the state we have from the SPLM operation room stands at 97.6%. These figures are expected to increase and hope the voting process would reach between 98 to 99.9 %.”

Kuol gave the following details about voter turnout in five counties in Northern Bahr El Ghazal state:

1. Aweil East – 95.8%

2. Aweil North – 98.7%

3. Aweil West – 97.7%

4. Aweil South – 97.3%

5. Aweil Center – 98.5%

(ST)