340,000 people registered for the referendum in North Darfur state: official
February 14, 2016 (EL-FASHIR) – The head of the higher committee for the Darfur administrative referendum in North Darfur state Guma’a Ahmed Fadl Allah said that 340,000 people have registered for the referendum.
Fadl Allah told Sudan Tribune Sunday that registration procedures are progressing well, saying that 339,540 people have been registered so far.
He added that they haven’t received the registration rates in 172 centers due to lack of the means of transportation, saying those centers are located in remote areas that have no telephone services coverage.
For her part, the member of the Darfur Administrative Commission (DAC) Aisha Ali Mohamed told Sudan Tribune that the number of women who have registered for the referendum exceeds the number of men, saying the locality of Um Kadada has witnessed the largest numbers with more than 60,000 people registered until Saturday.
In line with the DDPD Darfurians have to choose between the creation of a Darfur Region composed of the states of Darfur; or the retention of the status quo of states system.
The referendum has the support of former rebel groups signatory of the Doha framework agreement. But it faces some opposition from the dignitaries of the ruling party in the region.
Many in the strongly tribally divided region fear that this creation of the regional body would revive tribal trivialities.
Last week, the governor of Central Darfur region Gaafar Abdel-Hakam voiced his opposition to the establishment of one region in Darfur saying it would create a new intermediary organ between the state and the presidency.
The opposition and rebel groups insist on the timing and the legitimacy of the procedure . They say that referendum would not express the will of Darfurians, pointing to the IDPs and refugees in Chad who will not participate in the vote.
Also, several lawmakers called to delay the referendum saying the exercise will create a new turmoil in Darfur and also noted the huge financial cost of the referendum.
Last week, Darfur’s internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees association rejected the referendum and considered it a trivial move in light of the continued conflict and displacement in the region.
On Saturday, the opposition “Sudan Call” alliance called on the population of Darfur region to boycott the administrative referendum.
According to the latest census, the inhabitants of Darfur region are estimated at 12 million people including 5 million internal and external migrants.