S. Kordofan elections: Carter Center concerned over low voter registration
By Julius N. Uma
March 29, 2011 (JUBA) – The Carter Center has expressed concerns over low voter registration ahead of elections due in South Kordofan state, highlighting steps, it says, are necessary for the conduct of credible for the May 2 polls.
A total of 642,555 people, according to the National Elections Commission (NEC) were registered, with the figure said to be about 100,000 fewer than those who registered during the April 2010 elections.
South Kordofan was the only state in Sudan which did not hold the referendum on schedule in April last year. The registration process was conducted again after demands from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
Many groups from the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan joined the southern-based SPLM in their two decade civil war against the Khartoum government. However, after the South voted for independence in January as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended the conflict, South Kordofan is set to remain part of north Sudan governed by Khartoum.
After the elections are conducted the state will follow Blue Nile, by holding Popular Consultations to asses whether the peace deal has addressed their grievances. The consultations will also assess the relationship between the state and the Khartoum government.
Registration for the elections, which are expected to be a close contest between the SPLM and Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP), was conducted by 1,463 registration centers with the process manned by 110 mobile teams spread across the state.
According to the Carter Center, issues such as insufficient voter education, long distances travelled by registration officials to various locations in an attempt to reach as many eligible voters as possible and logistical challenges were notable setbacks to the registration process.
“The establishment of a limited number of registration centers may have also contributed to lower registration figures,” the center’s March 29 statement says.
It added, “These shortcomings were exacerbated by the limited participation and mobilization of civil society and other political parties outside of the two Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) partners, the National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), to conduct voter education and mobilization activities.”
The center remains optimistic that the challenges observed during voter registration will not compromise the integrity of the overall process. It appealed to the NEC, the State High Election Committee (SHEC), and other stakeholders to take up steps necessary to ensure that all registered voters equally participate in the polls.
“The Center wishes to highlight these concerns in order to provide lessons learned for future voter registration exercises in Sudan and, where possible, to identify specific areas where the electoral management bodies and other stakeholders could take action to ensure the remaining stages of the electoral process are more credible, inclusive and transparent, and in line with Sudan’s national and international commitments,” further says the March 29 statement.
It also appealed to the electoral body to announce the number and location of polling stations in a timely fashion and inform all registered voters of their voting rights and the location of their respective polling station. The process, the Center argued, will help ensure that all registered voters have equal access to the polls.
POLITICAL PARTY AGENTS
During the elections, the Center urged, there should be wide participation of political party agents from across the political spectrum, as well as increased mobilization of domestic observers, to monitor the polling process.
From Jan.24-Feb.12, the Center observed voter registration in South Kordofan, in preparation for the State Legislative Election scheduled for May 2. In the process, the Center reportedly deployed six observers who visited 67 voter registration centers in South Kordofan in 19 of the state’s 32 constituencies.
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Land-of-Cush
S. Kordofan elections: Carter Center concerned over low voter registration
S. Kordofan elections:
For what? is it for referedum or what?
The reporter should have to make it clear.
Bol Deng
S. Kordofan elections: Carter Center concerned over low voter registration
I should not blame you because you might be those who usually sleep in khartoum houses until 2005. Consultation under way my dear for Blue Nile and Nuba mountain. Sorry for asking nonsense
Jeti
S. Kordofan elections: Carter Center concerned over low voter registration
Land of Food. I don’t blame you but your great great dad.
Madina Kebir
S. Kordofan elections: Carter Center concerned over low voter registration
Dear brothers and the sisters of South Kordofan people.
We Southern Sudanese people have not forgotten you and we will not turns our eyes away from you if you guys want to make a history just like Southern Sudanese people have done for its referendum election. The Sudan’s process was very complicated one however, the people of Southern Sudan did because they want to be free to do their business, built school, building many Hospitals, build roads and enjoying the resources the nation have in their land rather than people begging others nation while, Sudan was one of the rich country in Africa nations.
Obviously, people are different in everythings they have in their commons however, each individual he or she had the role to play base on the condition which Black African tribes people have had faces for almost in 55 years since the Sudan gained her independence. This time around which you have actual left with few time to show up your works as it is your choices to choose whatever, you guys wanted to be. I think failure is not a good optional for South Kordofan people and South Blue Nilean people but to know exactly what conditions did you want to leave your kids and their future, do you want to leave your children to face same problems all Black tribes African have been facing in the Sudan for years or do you want to try something differently a part the real North Sudan domination, I think the door is so open for both sides South Kordofan State and Blue Nile State and your commitment is what we will be looking to see.
My dearly brothers and sisters both South Kordofan of Nubian and Blue Nilean people, don’t let to be fool by the Khartoum government the things they said, the thing they have promised to do for you. Take and looks to Khartoum development and compared it with the development in Nubia Mountains and not to mention the job opportunity why that is so different.? If you guys went to Southern Sudan before the peace agreement probably, you will understand that, North Sudan what I real mean domination they were treating all Black African tribes same way injustices, unbalance budgets for development, unequally job opportunities but right now if you go to Southern Sudan I think there is a little a bit different from the time the peace agreement was not signed in Kenya.
Pointing figure on the Southern Sudan that, they have betrayal Nubian and South Blue Nilean is not true because they tried everything politically and Militarally but others regions in Sudan don’t want to help them to change the regime. The Southern Sudanese nominated the SPLM Yasir Arman so that, if he won then, the regime government in Sudan will be change unfortunately, the Khartoum government were threatening the SPLM presidential candidate not even to give speech if you guys would remembering when Yasir Arman visited to Darfur region to give speech in there. Southern Sudanese of the SPLM have tried everything they can to make unity heard and democratic system happen in the Sudan unfortunately, the domination of really North Sudan of NCP were not willing to accepted the Ideas of the SPLM for democracy and for that situation, the Southern Sudanese people have to choose independence of New nation and it is the rightfully way, because they tries all options and dominators were not attractive for united Sudan and I think the only way for Sudanese people is to make isolate those who misleading the Sudan nation for years.
Finally, I wish I would like to advise everyone from both sides of South Kordofan State or Nubian people and South Blue Niean people. It seem to me that, don’t let to be fool also on the term use by the people particular North Sudan domination about Geographically in the Sudan because it doesn’t matter whether the Map is indicated North part or South or Central nor Western but treating people equally is matter, giving a job opportunity equal to all citizens in one nation it does matter. If you guys don’t belief me the Geography Idea just look the Ethiopia Map when they divided nation, the West of Ethiopia, the East of Ethiopia and the Southern Ethiopia all together remains only North Ethiopia which is Eritrea separate. The International community are now observing very closely to dictatorship leaders around the worldwide and they want human beings to have a rights to choose for what they like to be therefore, you guys from Nubian of White Nile State, Nubian of South Kordofan State and South Blue Nile State you have a rights to votes without fearing and if there is interference on voting by the Khartoum government then, let the International community know because the Khartoum government is already charges for genocide and that is all my advice to you all my dearly brothers and sisters on the above mentions States and thank.