Sudan Elections: NEC announces start of polling - Ex U.S. President Carter congratulates NEC for excellent progress

Juba residents participate in a prayer service on the eve of the country's elections in Juba, Southern Sudan, Saturday, April 10, 2010. The people of Southern Sudan will cast ballots in a national election for the first time in more than two decades when a three-day election begins Sunday. Despite the first-in-a-generation vote, most people are already looking past the elections to a vote next January considered far more significant: a referendum on independence that could signal the birth of a new African nation, if final negotiations with Khartoum over oil rights and the location of the border are worked out peacefully. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)



A Sudanese Muslim boy prays in front of a mosque, near Khartoum, Sudan, Saturday, April 10, 2010. The election posters and slogan-filled T-shirts blanketing this town underscore a new excitement in southern Sudan, which will cast ballots in a national election for the first time in more than two decades, when a three-day vote begins Sunday. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)



A Sudanese National Election Commission (NEC) worker prays while her colleagues stand near polling boxes at a polling station in Al Fasher, northern Darfur April 10, 2010. (Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)



A Sudanese child is seen during a demonstration to demand stability in Sudan outside the Sudanese embassy in central London, Saturday April 10, 2010. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)



A Sudanese protester holds a placard during a demonstration to demand stability in Sudan outside the Sudanese embassy in central London, Saturday April 10, 2010. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

NEC Announces Beginning of Polling Period
From SRS - Sudan Radio Service, Saturday, 10 April 2010:

10 April 2010 - (Khartoum) – The National Election Commission has announced that polling will start officially on Sunday.

Addressing a press conference at the Friendship Palace in Khartoum on Saturday, NEC chairman Abel Alier officially announced the start of polling.

[Abel Alier]: “For the last fifty-six days of the electoral process, we were watching and you were watching political parties and candidates campaigning for these various offices, and that campaign ended yesterday. And today, there is a break tomorrow, we will start the last part of the elections process that is polling and the polling will take three days: 11, 12 and 13 April.”

Alier urged registered voters to go to the polling centers and cast their votes.

[Abel Alier]: “I would like to seize this opportunity to call upon the voter and through you the media, to convey this message. I ask the voter on behalf of the Commission to come out to vote. Just as the voter made every effort during the registration process where voters succeeded in attaining the highest registration rate in the history of the country and in many parts of the world, we are calling upon the voter to make every effort to come to cast his or her vote. And we call upon the citizens of this country to help encourage the voters to go to vote in the coming three days.”

He said the NEC wants to ensure that the results of the electoral process are free and fair.

[Abel Alier]: “We are committed to free and fair polling, we want to ensure that what we are doing will make it evident both to the voter, the ordinary citizen and to the world at large that this process of polling is going to be transparent as part of our commitment to free and fair elections and we want you, the media, to be with us in this. At this juncture, I would also like to mention my appreciation for the role played by the international community in assisting us in the process from May last year up to this moment, particularly the United Nations bodies.”

Alier said that more than 16 million people are expected to cast their vote during the polling period.

Former US President Jimmy Carter Congratulates NEC for Excellent Progress
From SRS - Sudan Radio Service, Saturday, 10 April 2010:

10 April 2010 - (Khartoum) – The former US President and the founder of the Carter Center, Jimmy Carter, says he is satisfied with the work of the National Elections Commission.

Carter made this statement to the press following his meeting with the NEC in Khartoum on Friday.

[Jimmy Carter]: “The representatives of the Carter Center have met with the NEC, and we had some questions to ask them and they answered all our questions satisfactorily, and they assured us that they are making excellent progress in the delivery of the elections material for the elections and we see no reason for any concern except in a few isolated stations way out where voter materials will be a little bit late, but they have three days at least to reach the voters. So we are satisfied with the decision made by the NEC. We are here to observe the process and we will make a report at the end.”

Last Tuesday, the SPLM’s secretary-general, Pagan Amum, had claimed that Carter Center staff had been expelled from nine states in northern Sudan and that Carter himself had threatened not to come to Sudan.

Carter said he was unaware of reports indicating that any of the center’s staff had been expelled from states in northern Sudan.

[Jimmy Carter]: “From northern Sudan? I don’t know of that. My son is going to Northern State, he is on his way there and I haven’t heard any reports about that. We had about twenty of our team this morning that left so they are on the way to be dispersed now.”

Regarding the electoral process in Darfur, Carter said his center would only comment on the election process after the elections had taken place.

[Jimmy Carter]: “We don’t have anything to report on the running of elections because they haven’t begun and we won’t make any assessment of the elections process until we make a panel decision and then we will have our press conference on the 17 April and that will be our first comment on the conduct of the elections.”

Former US President Jimmy Carter was talking to the press in Khartoum on Friday.

Alcohol Ban in Malakal As Some Traders Go On Holiday During Voting Period
SRS - Saturday, 10 April 2010 - (Malakal) - The governor of Upper Nile state, Dr. William Othon Awer has stressed that his government has taken measures to ensure good security and stability during the polling days in the state. Addressing people during a graduation of prison warders in Malakal on Friday, Awer denied rumors that some residents are leaving Malakal, for fear of insecurity. Awer has ordered bars and other places where alcoholic drinks are made or served to shut down until the end of polling. Our producer Hussein Halfawi in Malakal spoke to some traders in the area. Full story.

Yambio Residents Call on All Sudanese to Vote for Their Future
SRS - Saturday, 10 April 2010 - (Yambio) - As voting begins on Sunday 11 April all over Sudan, residents of Western Equatoria state expressed their readiness to vote in what for many will be the first democratic exercise of their lives. Southern Sudanese voters will be expected to complete twelve ballot papers in the voting period that will extend until 13 April. SRS took to the streets on Friday to find out how prepared residents are in Yambio and what these elections mean to them. Full story.

HEC Chair Warns Against Party T-Shirts and Violent Behaviour At Polling Stations
SRS - Saturday, 10 April 2010 - (Bentiu) - The chairman of the High Election Committee in Unity State is urging all candidates and their supporters not to turn up at the polling stations with their logos. Michael Mayor Chol was speaking during a press conference in Unity state on Friday. Chol also described the complaints procedure that will be put in place during the voting period. Unity state has more than 600 polling stations. Full story.

Some Foreigners Leave, Some Stay Behind on Eve of Elections
SRS - Saturday, 10 April 2010 - (Yambio) - Despite the fact that some foreigners have left southern Sudan because they anticipate election violence, some Ugandans, Somalis and Kenyans businessmen in Yambio say they will remain in southern Sudan throughout the elections. They expressed hope that the elections will be peaceful and that their businesses will continue doing well even after the elections. Here is David from Uganda. Full story.

Arman Withdrawal Causes Confusion Among SPLM Supporters in Khartoum
SRS - Saturday, 10 April 2010 (Khartoum) - The decision by the SPLM to withdraw its presidential candidate Yasir Arman from the presidential race has caused confusion among some young people in Khartoum. SRS spoke to a number of displaced youths from southern Sudan in Khartoum on Friday. Here, two young women explain how they feel about the SPLM decision to withdraw the Yasir Arman from the presidential race. Full story.

A Beat for Peace - Sudan 365: On April 10 & 11, activists from 19 countries will drum a "beat for peace"

Copy of Press Release (note that the Sudan Watch referred to in the Press Release is not connected in any way to this blog, Sudan Watch, or myself):

Association of Canadian Students for Darfur
Apr 10, 2010 08:00 ET

Activists from 19 Countries Join Global Day of Action Ahead of Elections to Urge ‘No Business as Usual’ With Sudan

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - April 10, 2010) - On April 10th and 11th, activists from 19 countries will drum a "beat for peace" in a global demand that the April 11 elections not become a flashpoint for increased violence and human rights abuses. Many opposition parties have withdrawn from the elections citing violent intimidation, fears of vote-rigging, and reports of widespread restrictions on basic freedoms that make election campaigning perilous.

The global Sudan365 (www.sudan365.org) coalition, including Amnesty International, Arab Coalition for Darfur, Darfur Consortium, Enough Project, FIDH, Human Rights Watch, Italians for Darfur, IKV Pax Christi, Refugees International, Save Darfur Coalition, and Sudan Forum Norway, has initiated a one-year/365-day program to promote democracy, justice and peace in Sudan.

Events are taking place from Mali to Norway, South Africa to Israel, Senegal to Northern Ireland (for a full list of locations see www.sudan365.org) as part of a global "beat for peace" backed by famous drummers including Stewart Copeland from The Police, Phil Selway from Radiohead, Ghanaian drummer Mustafa Tettey Addey and Middle Eastern pop star Mohamed Munir.

In solidarity, Canadian Students for Darfur, with STAND UBC, is holding its annual Day for Darfur on April 11 at the Vancouver Art Gallery (Robson Street plaza) between 12:45 and 4 PM, with live music to "beat for peace" including Yoro's amazing talking drum, Dan Beer, the Jarrod Tyler band, and the CJ Thon group with DJ Praise Owora. Speakers include Darfuri refugees, Liberal MP Dr Hedy Fry, NDP MP Bill Siksay, and Adrianne Carr of the Green Party.

Campaigners are urging world leaders to exercise extra vigilance, warning that the elections environment is unstable, and pointing to the recent offensive in the Jebel Marra region in Darfur, in which hundreds of civilians were reported killed and thousands displaced from their homes, and increased violence in southern Sudan.

'Sudan Watch' will invigilate during the election period. See Sudan Vote Monitor (www.sudanvotemonitor.com), a project launched by Sudanese civil society to report on election violations, and Twitter (twitter.com/sudan365).

"Opposition activists have been prevented from carrying out peaceful activities, arrested and tortured. It is clear that elections carried out in this context will be severely compromised." said Osman Hummaida, Executive Director of the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies.

"Violations of human rights – particularly restrictions on freedom of assembly and freedom of the press – are threatening prospects for a free, fair and credible vote across Sudan," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa Director of Human Rights Watch.

"Sudanese authorities are clearly failing to uphold international standards including those agreed with the African Union in Juba in March." said Ms Gagnon.

'The respect, protection and promotion of human rights by all those involved in the election; including the government, candidates, and supporters is of critical importance. Sudan must end the cycle of violence, insecurity and human rights abuses in the country,' said Erwin van der Borght, Africa Director of Amnesty International.

The elections are intended to be a milestone in the implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Campaigners are calling on the international community to insist that Sudanese parties to resolve outstanding issues ahead of the scheduled referendum in January 2011 and increase measures to protect civilians over the course of the year. The campaign calls for:

The Government of National Unity and Government of South Sudan to respect rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and guarantee freedom of movement to election observers;

Election Observation Missions to remain in Sudan for the election period to monitor and publicly report on the human rights context before, during and after the elections;

The international community to speak out about any serious human rights violations;

The UN mission to increase its presence and patrols in volatile areas, in line with its mandate to protect civilians;

World leaders to scale up their support for Sudanese parties in resolving outstanding issues ahead of the referendum and work with Sudanese parties to agree on a decisive strategy for international engagement after the referendum.

"This is a wake-up call to leaders. The elections start tomorrow. The referendum is less than 9 months away. The situation in Sudan remains dire. The recent spike in violence in Darfur shows that the conflict is far from over. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement, that brought an end to a civil war in which over 2 million people died, remains fragile and inter-ethnic violence has increased. We need a first-class, coordinated international response. And we need it now." said Joel Charny, Vice President for Policy, Refugees International, a member of the campaign.

"Farce will turn into tragedy ... if violence is allowed to get out of control and Sudan's people suffer." said Mark Lotwis, Acting President of the Save Darfur Coalition.

The Association of Canadian Students for Darfur raises public awareness of the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and urges the Government of Canada to take world leadership in stopping the genocide, and bringing justice and democracy to Sudan.

The full Sudan365 press release is posted on the ACSD blog site www.darfurcanada.wordpress.com.

The Vancouver, Canada contact is; Bruce Edwards 604-820-3646 darfur@telus.net Canadian Students for Darfur
For more information, please contact
Association of Canadian Students for Darfur
Bruce Edwards
604-820-3646
darfur@telus.net

- - -

Beat for Peace - Sudan 365

Copy of an unpublished blog post for Sudan Watch, drafted on 18 January 2010:

"This campaign is unprecedented. It's incredibly exciting. Thousands of drummers from some of the most famous drummers in the world to community groups across five continents have come together to create a global beat for peace in Sudan. The next 365 days will be critical for the people of Sudan. And this global drumbeat is a cry for positive action from world leaders to prevent conflict from returning," said Jamie Catto, founder member of 1 Giant Leap and Faithless.

The film features a drum beat for peace starting in Sudan and being picked up and passed on like a baton between drummers in over 15 countries around the world including Brazil, Mexico, US (NY and LA), UK, France, Spain, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, Egypt, Mali, UAE, Japan, Russia and Australia.

The film was launched on www.sudan365.org on January 9th 2010. Campaigners will be asked to upload pictures and videos of themselves joining the 'beat for peace'.



From www.ilikemusic.com, Tuesday, 12 January 2010:
Beat for Peace - Sudan 365

World famous drummers are supporting a new global campaign for Sudan - Sudan365 (www.sudan365.org) - calling on global leaders to take urgent diplomatic action over the next 365 days to prevent all out conflict returning to Sudan.

Celebrity drummers - including Phil Selway of Radiohead, Jonny Quinn of Snow Patrol, Stewart Copeland of The Police, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, the renowned Egyptian drummer Yehia Khalil and Mustapha Tettey Addy from Ghana who has been drumming since the 1970s - have come together to create a global 'beat for peace' for Sudan.

"I wanted to be involved in this project because I think music is such a powerful way of bringing people together. Of course, I'm biased in thinking that what's underpinning it all is always the beat - always drummers! Hopefully this film will show that together people can make a huge noise and through this film I hope people's focus will be brought back to what is happening in the Sudan over this very important next year," said Phil Selway of Radiohead who is supporting the campaign.

The drummers appear in a music film which was the brainchild of Jamie Catto - the drummer of Faithless who was behind the hit global music project '1 Giant Leap' - and produced by Emer Patten and the team at Splinter Films, the specialist music film company who have produced concert films for Beyoncé, Foo Fighters and Kings Of Leon among many others.

"This campaign is unprecedented. It's incredibly exciting. Thousands of drummers from some of the most famous drummers in the world to community groups across five continents have come together to create a global beat for peace in Sudan. The next 365 days will be critical for the people of Sudan. And this global drumbeat is a cry for positive action from world leaders to prevent conflict from returning," said Jamie Catto, founder member of 1 Giant Leap and Faithless.

The film features a drum beat for peace starting in Sudan and being picked up and passed on like a baton between drummers in over 15 countries around the world including Brazil, Mexico, US (NY and LA), UK, France, Spain, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, Egypt, Mali, UAE, Japan, Russia and Australia.

"It is fantastic to join so many drummers from around the world. Sometimes the spoken word is a barrier but here we are coming together with so many drumming styles, so many instruments, so many sound colours, for a great cause, and we are delighted that we can communicate and hopefully make a difference to so many people through the beat of the drum," said Dame Evelyn Glennie, the award winning percussionist who is featured in the film.

The film was launched on www.sudan365.org on January 9th 2010. Campaigners will be asked to upload pictures and videos of themselves joining the 'beat for peace'.

"We are very proud to be a part of this cause for the Sudan. We think that music is the best way to unify a common message, and that message is peace," said Ojos de Bruno, a famous Spanish flamenco group who are featured in the film.

"Sudan has experienced too much pain and suffering in the last three decades. Now is the time to make sure that the future is one of peace and prosperity for all those in Darfur and the rest of Sudan. Music is an incredible force for positive action and this global beat for peace calls on world leaders to act now to stop a disaster later." Mohammed Munir, Middle East musician & drummer.

« View all web results for A global drumbeat for peace in Sudan

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Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Police drummers unite to launch global drum-beat for peace

NME.com - ‎Jan 8, 2010‎

The brainchild of Faithless drummer Jamie Catto, the video features a 'drum beat for peace' that starts in Sudan and is then passed around 15 other ...

International drumming event held for Sudan peace Sudan Tribune

World famous drummers launch global drum-beat for peace for Sudan ReliefWeb (press release)

Music stars to drum for peace in Sudan AFP

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Sudan 365: A beat for peace- Thousands gather in 15 countries to warn of ...

Amnesty International UK - ‎Jan 8, 2010‎

The next 365 days will be critical for the people of Sudan. And this global drumbeat is a cry for positive action from world leaders to prevent conflict ...

Darfur activists on Sudan Elections 2010

Copy of Press Release:

ADVISORY: Week-long Series of Press Briefings by Human Rights Organizations to Provide Up-to-the-minute Commentary as Controversial Sudan Elections Unfold

In an effort to provide journalists with timely commentary on the latest developments in the crucial Sudan elections, leading human rights organizations will be participating in a series of press briefings hosted by Sudan Now, a campaign led by several of the participating organizations.

Washington, D.C. (Vocus/PRWEB ) April 10, 2010 -- In an effort to provide journalists with timely commentary on the latest developments in the crucial Sudan elections, leading human rights organizations will be participating in a series of press briefings hosted by Sudan Now, a campaign led by several of the participating organizations. The press calls will be held each day from Monday, April 12 through Friday, April 16 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The calls will be largely devoted to questions from journalists after very brief opening statements from the guest speakers. Organizations participating in the press calls include the Save Darfur Coalition, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, Humanity United, and other organizations to be determined.

According to the Sudan Now campaign, the current implementation of the U.S. policy on Sudan has not addressed a number of extremely concerning developments including clear indications that the national election will be neither free nor fair, ongoing government attacks that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands in recent months, and ongoing obstruction by the Government of Sudan in access for aid workers and UN investigators to Darfur.

WHEN:
Monday, April 12 through Friday, April 16 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time (daily)

WHO:
John Norris, Executive Director, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress
Mark Lotwis, Acting President, Save Darfur Coalition
Sam Bell, Executive Director, Genocide Intervention Network
David Abramowitz, Director of Policy and Government Relations, Humanity United

DIAL IN NUMBER:

US/Canada Dial-in #: (877) 210-8943 – Conference ID # 68487901
Int'l/Local Dial-In #: (706) 902-0621 – Conference ID # 68487901

Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Barack Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to the people of that country. Organizations participating in the campaign include Humanity United, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.

Please note: Photography and broadcast quality recent b-roll from IDP camps are now available for general use. You can download video at http://media.savedarfur.org/save-darfur-media-epk-download; images are available athttp://www.flickr.com/photos/savedarfur/sets/72157623816650366/. Photography and b-roll of a student protest on Capitol Hill will also be available on Monday.

Contact:
Jonathan Hutson, the Enough Project, 857-919-5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Mame Annan-Brown, Genocide Intervention Network, 347-564-2936, annan-brown@genocideintervention.net
Andrea Clarke, Save Darfur Coalition, 202-460-6756, andrea@savedarfur.org
Julia Thornton, Humanity United, 650-587-2030, jthornton@humanityunited.org
Susan Morgan, Investors Against Genocide, 617-797-0451, susan@paxcommunications.org

# # #

South Sudan votes for first time in a generation

South Sudan votes for first time in a generation
From Associated Press by Jason Straziuso, Friday, 9 April 2010:

JUBA, Sudan — The election posters and slogan-filled T-shirts blanketing this town underscore a new excitement in Southern Sudan, which will cast ballots in a national election for the first time in more than two decades, when a three-day election begins Sunday.

Despite the first-in-a-generation vote, though, most people are already looking past the weekend ballot to a vote in January considered far more significant: a referendum on independence that could signal the birth of a new African nation, if final negotiations with Khartoum over oil rights and the location of the border are worked out peacefully.

"Southerners are going to vote for independence. We cannot say if they (Khartoum) will accept it," said Peter Yien, a 28-year-old who lives in Akobo, a southeastern town on the border with Ethiopia that is suffering a severe food shortage because of tribal conflict and a lack of rain.

The roots of a young democracy have taken place this election cycle, at least in the south's capital of Juba, which has seen candidate rallies, voter education drives and political speeches for the first time in years. Daniel Deng, the founder of the Deng Foundation, a voter education group, held a rally this week in Juba to raise voter awareness.

"I will be voting for the first time, and I don't think my mom or dad has ever voted in their lives. We have lived in this country like aliens, forgotten. Now we have a chance to be part of something," Deng said, before quickly adding that the independence vote next year was more important: "Let's get it out of the way and then move forward to the referendum."

Salva Kiir Mayardit, the south's president and Sudan's first vice president, held a final rally in Juba under a still-fiery evening sun Thursday to muted cheers from about 1,000 people. Earlier in the day he said the south was running the "final lap of our journey toward the referendum."

"My key message throughout the campaigns has been the maintenance of peace and stability throughout the country," Mayardit told a news conference. "Since the signing of the CPA (Comprehensive Peace Agreement) the lives of our people have changed tremendously from worse to better, and no amount of intimidation can drag us back to war."

The CPA, a U.S.-backed peace treaty, ended the north-south war in 2005, setting in motion both the elections and the referendum. The last time the south voted in national elections was 1986. The balloting is to elect a president, national parliament and provincial parliaments and governors.

The south's dominant party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, or SPLM, is not running a candidate against Sudan President Omar al-Bashir. Some candidates in the SPLM's northern wing are boycotting the election, but candidates in the south are proceeding. Most here agree that the south is only trying to successfully get through the election and move on to the referendum.

"The language I tend to use in this regard is that elections are the end game in the north and the referendum is the end game in the south," said Zach Vertin, an analyst with the International Crisis Group.

"That's not to say there isn't any interest in the election. It's also important within the south. You can see the beginning of democracy here. Southerners and a lot of the parties deserve credit for engaging in the democratic process."

The oil-rich south is a mainly Christian and animist region. The predominantly Muslim north has ruled for decades, and 50 years of civil war between north and south killed 2 million people. The separate conflict in Darfur erupted in 2003, when ethnic African tribes rose up complaining of discrimination by the Arab-led government in Khartoum.

A U.N. report on the outlook for 2010 said that a worst-case scenario for the country would see north-south clashes ignite along the border, triggering inter-tribal conflict. The U.N. report also predicts severe food shortages this year that could affect the referendum. More than 4 million people in Southern Sudan will need food aid this year.

The newly born democratic process in Juba has included candidate forums, which attracted a couple hundred people earlier this week. The president has been flying around Southern Sudan advertising his platform, which includes giving more rights and educational opportunities to women. Candidate posters are plastered over telephone poles and store fronts.

But the election in the whole of Sudan is beset with problems. Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said this week that signs on the ground were "very disturbing," and said that much was awry with the electoral process. Her comments came after former Sudanese Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi's Umma party announced it will boycott the election. Several of Sudan's biggest opposition parties have withdrawn from the race.

A report from the International Crisis Group last month said Sudan's election would suffer from electoral fraud, including ballot stuffing and voter registration gerrymandering. The report also predicted return to conflict between the north and the south if the vote on independence is not held next year.

Friends standing alongside Yien in the eastern town of Akobo agreed that was possible.

"War? No, not war. We will talk," said Peter Toi, 28.

"We will see," Nyak Pan Deng, 33, quickly interjected. "No one can say war or no war now."

Photo: South Sudan's President Salva Kiir walks out of a car before a rally in Bentiu, Unity state, south Sudan April 8, 2010. (Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)



Photo: South Sudan's President Salva Kiir walks during a rally in Bentiu, Unity state, south Sudan April 8, 2010. (Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)



Photo: South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (centre L) and South Sudan Vice President Riek Machar stand during a rally in Bentiu, Unity state, south Sudan April 8, 2010. (Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)



Photo: Supporters of South Sudan's President Salva Kiir dance during a rally in Bentiu, Unity state, south Sudan April 8, 2010. (Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

NEC Sudan says elections will be held in 1500 centers in Darfur region

Photo: Sudanese refugees walk in Abou Shouk refugee camp, on the outskirts of the north Darfur capital of el Fasher, Sudan, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Dr Al Asaam says elections will be held in 1500 centers in Darfur region

Khartoum, April 8 (SUNA) - The National Election Commission on Thursday met at its headquarters, under the chairmanship of its President Abel Alier, with a delegation from the European Elections Observers Mission in Sudan.

Professor Mukhtar Al Asaam member of the Commission has pointed out that the meeting was held on the request of the European observers' delegation to explain the reasons that spurred them to issue a statement in which they have said they would be pulling out of Darfur. He said the European delegation has stressed it would be issuing a statement in which it would explain the real reasons behind the pull out of Darfur which are related transportation and stay in Darfur and that non of the reasons cited was among t hose circulated by the media on lack of stability there.

Dr Al Asaam has said the delegation of the commission headed by the NEC chairman Abel Alier that visited Darfur in the past couple of days has reaffirmed that the security situation in Darfur was better than t he situate ion a few months ago and that stability for holding the election was prevailing. He referred to the preparation of some 1500 centers that are fully secured for the election process.

On her part the head of the European delegation has praised the difficult work undertaken by the commission and that her visit to the commission shows the good relations between the delegation and the NEC.

Photo: A Sudanese street tailor sews a dress in the town of Al Fasher, northern Darfur, April 7, 2010. (Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)



Photo: A Sudanese refugee girl stands by vendor sitting under electoral posters, at a market in Abou Shouk refugee camp, on the outskirts of the North Darfur capital of el Fasher, Sudan, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Photo: Boys shine shoes in the town of Al Fasher, northern Darfur, April 7, 2010. (Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)



Sudanese refugee vendors sit by their goods as they wait for customers in the market of Abou Shouk refugee camp, on the outskirts of the North Darfur capital of el Fasher, Sudan, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Photo: A Sudanese refugee woman shops for food supplies at a market in Abou Shouk refugee camp, on the outskirts of the north Darfur capital of el Fasher, Sudan, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Photo: A Sudanese refugee family load food supplies on a cart in the market of Abou Shouk refugee camp, on the outskirts of the North Darfur capital of el Fasher, Sudan, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

The Arab European Independent Mission deploy observers to monitor elections in Sudan

The Arab European Independent Mission Deploy Observers to Monitor Elections in Sudan
From Sudanese Online, Friday, 09 April 2010:

Khartoum, April 8 (SUNA) - The Arab European Independent Mission for monitoring of Sudanese elections has stated that it would deploy 18 observers to follow the election and monitor the process in 17 states and that it would follow up all the process to the end.

The chief of the Mission Dr Violet Daguerre has pointed out in a press conference that the mission involved a group of non governmental organizations from France, Jordan, Norway, Iraq, Bahrain with vast experience in the domain of monitoring elections and that these organizations have agreed to take part in the monitoring of the elections in the Sudan.

She said the mission would follow up the process and see how the laws and regulations and the local and international principles are applied.

Dr Violet has expressed hope that the elections would be conducted in a peaceful and calm climate that would allow the observers to carry out their role.

She said what she saw in the Sudan was different from what is being reported about the country.

AU is independent in Sudan election - Kufuor

AU is independent in Sudan election - Kufuor
From Myjoyonline by Frank Agyekum, Khartoum, Wednesday, 7 April 2010:

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor said, Monday, that the Africa Union did not favour any of the contesting political parties in the impending general elections in Sudan.

The union’s interest was the smooth conduct of the elections to help return Africa’s largest country to peace and stability, former President Kufuor told a Press Conference at the Grand Holiday Villas in Khartoum, Sudan.

Mr Kufuor, who arrived in Khartoum on Sunday as the head of a 50-member AU Observer Mission, was briefing the media after the first stakeholders meeting of the mission.

“I should state from the onset that we are here as impartial and neutral election observers who do not owe any allegiance to any of the contending parties.

“Our job is to observe the conduct of the elections in accordance with the AU’s Declaration Principles Governing Elections in Africa.

“At the end of the elections, we are expected to determine if it was conducted in accordance with the constitution and laws of Sudan.

“We will also determine the credibility of the whole electoral process in terms of the provision of a level playing field to all parties in their access to the media, movement and freedom of choice,” he said.

The mission includes National Electoral Commissions, Members of the Pan-African Parliament, members of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the AU and Civil Society Organizations.

The European Union, the Arab League and the Carter Centre, are among international bodies that have sent observer missions.

Sudan goes to the polls from April 11 to April 13 for the first time in more than 25 years to elect a President and a 450-member National Assembly.

Sudan Elections 2010



Photo: Sudanese youth stands next to an electoral poster that reads in Arabic 'I am Sudan Party, Unity, Reform, development and peace' at the main market of the Darfur town of el Fasher, Sudan Thursday, April 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Photo: A Sudanese woman and a policeman walk by electoral posters at the main market of the Darfur town of el Fasher, Sudan Thursday, April 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Photo: A Sudanese man carries his son under a billboard supporting a Parliament election candidate Mohammed Al Mahdi in Khartoum, Sudan, Thursday, April 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)



Photo: Sudanese women walk past a campaign poster for President Omar al-Beshir in central Khartoum on April 7. (AFP/File/Ashraf Shazly)



Photo: A Sudanese youth riding a donkey passes by electoral posters for the ruling National Congress Party, NCP that reads 'Leading party for a leading country, choose the the strong and loyal' at the Darfur town of el Fasher, Sudan Thursday, April 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Photo: A Sudanese army vehicle patrols the main market by an electoral poster for the ruling National Congress Party, NCP with a picture President and presidential candidate Omar al-Bashir and reads 'Leading party for a leading country, choose the the strong and loyal' at the Darfur town of el Fasher, Sudan Thursday, April 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Photo: A Sudanese army vehicle patrols the main market by electoral posters for the ruling National Congress Party, NCP that reads 'Our strength is in our unity' at the Darfur town of el Fasher, Sudan Thursday, April 8, 2010. The elections start April 13, and will include local as well as parliamentary and presidential polls in a three-day balloting. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Photo: A painted image of Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is seen on the clothing of a supporter during an election campaign in Bashir's home town of Shandi, 317 km (197 miles) outside Khartoum April 7, 2010. (Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah)



Photo: A supporter of Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir performs a traditional Sudanese dance during an election campaign event in Bashir's hometown of Shandi, 317 km (197 miles) outside Khartoum April 7, 2010. (Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah)

Don't rubbish Sudan elections - Former U.S. President Carter will be among the official observers

Don't rubbish Sudan elections
From Cif Guardian.co.uk
By Simon Tisdall, Friday 9 April 2010:

The elections won't be perfect, but the chorus of condemnation from those pursuing a Darfur-focused agenda misses the point



A Sudanese man kisses a picture of President Omar al-Bashir at a protest against the arrest warrant issued against him last year. Photograph: Ashraf Shazly/AFP/Getty

Not a single vote has yet been cast in Sudan's elections but already international pressure groups and domestic opponents of the current government are queuing up to rubbish the process. This chorus of condemnation seems a little premature. It also misses the point. While it's likely the polls will be flawed in important respects, in a fundamental sense, that does not matter. For the major players inside and outside Sudan, the elections, beginning on Sunday, are merely a staging post on a much longer journey.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court, is among the most outspoken critics. He said sending EU and African Union observers to monitor the vote was a waste of time. "It's like monitoring a Hitler election," he said. Moreno-Ocampo urged western countries to concentrate instead on arresting Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, charged by the ICC with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Moreno-Ocampo has a particular axe to grind. Like the Waging Peace and the Save Darfur Coalition pressure groups, broader issues of democratic governance and implementation of the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) that ended Sudan's ruinous north-south civil war take second place, in his view, to the importance of avenging Darfur and arraigning Bashir in The Hague.

"It is clear to all observers that these much heralded 'multi-party elections' have never been more than an attempt by [Bashir] to legitimise his position in the eyes of the international community," said Sophie McCann of Waging Peace. The process was "unsalvageable". For its part, Save Darfur seized on the partial poll boycott by some opposition parties to urge the US, Britain and others to disown the whole business and condemn Bashir's "dictatorial rule".

Mixed motives also lie behind the decision of the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), the main southern political party, to boycott polling in Darfur and the north. The SPLM and other opposition groups have voiced concerns about the accuracy of the 2008 census on which voting is based, the ruling National Congress party's (NCP) monopoly of state resources, and alleged bias of the national elections commission.

These worries are shared by independent organisations such as the Carter Centre (former US president Jimmy Carter is due in Sudan with 60 observers) and the International Crisis Group, which says many displaced Darfuris will be denied a vote. Human Rights Watch accuses both the government and the SPLM of intimidating political rivals, although the picture is mixed. Overall, media controls have been relaxed and some opposition leaders have been give airtime.

Yet Sudan experts say it's clear that the SPLM's main concern is not the elections at all, but rather avoiding any delay to January's CPA-directed referendum on southern independence (which is widely expected to result in Sudan's partition). Thus its decision not to contest the presidential or parliamentary votes in northern areas suits Bashir's NCP very well, despite protestations to the contrary. The unspoken deal is plain enough: Bashir the bogeyman gets re-elected and relegitimised, while the south (comprising 25% of the population) and its US-backed president, Salva Kiir, gets independence (and 50% of Sudan's oil wealth).

Political opportunism and pragmatism have combined neatly. "The SPLM decided to pull out simply because they know they are not going to win the presidency," said NCP official Omar Rahma in an al-Jazeera interview. Nor does the SPLM seem troubled by the fact that its unilateral decision to mount a partial boycott threw other opposition parties, with which it was supposedly co-ordinating, into confusion. That the SPLM boycott worries western pressure groups is a measure of their naivety.

The Obama administration and Britain cannot be accused of such credulousness. What they most want from these elections is already clear – and it is not a democratic showcase or Bashir's arrest. They want north-south deals on border demarcation and oil-revenue sharing, settlements in trouble spots such as Abyei and South Kordofan, and a successful independence referendum as envisaged by the CPA. The US, in particular, sees a future southern Sudanese republic as an important ally.

The western powers see in this outcome the prospect of a final, lasting peace in Darfur, wider regional stability encompassing Chad, and ultimately, Khartoum's rehabilitation. A recent joint statement by the foreign secretary David Miliband and the US secretary of state Hillary Clinton set priorities: "Irrespective of the outcome of elections, it is essential that work continues and is accelerated to meet remaining CPA deadlines."

Predictions that Sudan's elections will produce an Afghanistan-style fiasco of rigging and recrimination misunderstand the position. All the main actors want a success, and that is what they will most probably deem the polls to be, with the usual caveats and reservations, almost whatever the outcome. This conformity of purpose elicited a remarkable boast from Bashir, speaking in Sinar on the Blue Nile last week: "Even America is becoming an NCP member. No one is against our will."

Simon Tisdall (pictured above) is an assistant editor of the Guardian and a foreign affairs columnist. He was previously a foreign leader writer for the paper and has also served as its foreign editor and its US editor, based in Washington DC. He was the Observer's foreign editor from 1996-98

Further reading



Former US President Jimmy Carter speaks to reporters as he arrives at Khartoum International Airport, ahead of the country's national elections on April 11. "We are hoping and praying that it will be a fair and honest election for those are participating," Carter said. (AFP/Ashraf Shazly Thu Apr 8, 2010)



Former US President Jimmy Carter, left, leaves after speaking to the media following his arrival in the capital Khartoum, Sudan, Thursday, April 8, 2010. The Carter Center said Thursday that former President Jimmy Carter will be among the official observers when Sudan conducts national elections next week. (AP Photo/Abd Raouf)



A Sudanese man reads a newspaper under posters of presidential candidates in Khartoum, Sudan, Thursday, April 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)



A campaign poster for Sudan People's Liberation Movement's southern presidential candidate Salva Kiir hangs from a tree in a remote village in Dongoi in Western Equatorial State, April 7, 2010. (Reuters/Finbarr O'Reilly)



Sudanese election officials receive training during a mock voting session ahead of Sunday's general election, in the village of Mvolo in Western Equatorial State, April 7, 2010. (Reuters/Finbarr O'Reilly)



Workers from the National Elections Commission (NEC) prepare polling boxes at the central NEC ballot distribution center in Khartoum April 8, 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nurdldin)



Workers from the National Elections Commission (NEC) carry polling boxes at the central NEC ballot distribution center in Khartoum April 8, 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nurdldi)



A Sudanese worker from the National Elections Commission (NEC) checks ballot boxes at the central NEC ballot distribution center of Khartoum April 8, 2010 (Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah)



Sonia, a French adviser for the Sudanese National Elections Commission (NEC), checks ballot boxes at the central NEC ballot distribution center of Khartoum April 8, 2010. (Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah)



A Sudanese worker loads election material including ballot papers and voting booths into a waiting helicopter of the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur, UNAMID to be transported to the voting center of the north Darfur town of Mellit, in the airport of el Fasher, Darfur, Sudan Thursday, April 8, 2010. Preparations continue for the upcoming multiparty general elections in Sudan starting on April 13. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



A Sudanese refugee boy walks past a UNAMID (African Union/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur) vehicle near a polling station at Abou Shouk refugee camp, on the outskirts of the north Darfur capital of el Fasher, Sudan, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



A UNAMID (African Union/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur) peacekeeper stands guard near a polling station, in background, at Abou Shouk refugee camp, on the outskirts of the North Darfur capital of el Fasher, Sudan, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Sudanese refugee boys stand by a UNAMID (African Union/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur) peacekeeper guarding a nearby polling station at Abou Shouk refugee camp, on the outskirts of the North Darfur capital of el Fasher, Sudan, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



UNAMID (African Union/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur) peacekeepers patrol the area surrounding a polling station at Abou Shouk refugee camp, on the outskirts of the north Darfur capital of el Fasher, Sudan, Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



Sudanese police patrol in the town of Al Fasher, northern Darfur April 8, 2010. (Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)



European Union chief elections observer Veronique De Keyser speaks to journalists at Abu Shouk camp outside El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, April 7, 2010. (Reuters/Andrew Heavens)



European Union election observers leave El Fasher airport in North Darfur, led by EU chief observer Veronique De Keyser (centre), April 7, 2010. The European Union on Wednesday withdrew its election observers from Sudan's Darfur region, saying safety fears were hindering their work. (Reuters/Andrew Heavens)



A European Union election observer boards a plane at El Fasher airport in North Darfur April 7, 2010. (Reuters/Andrew Heavens)



A Sudanese woman crosses the street infront of a vehicle with electoral posters on the hood at the main market of the Darfur town of el Fasher, Sudan Thursday, April 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)



A disabled woman on a tricycle rides past campaign posters for the upcoming April 11 presidential and legislative elections in the town of Al Fasher, northern Darfur April 8, 2010. (Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)



A Sudanese woman uses her mobile while passing by electoral posters at the main market of the Darfur town of el Fasher, Sudan Thursday, April 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Confused Signals From SPLM Over Northern Boycott - Or Is It Withdrawal?
SRS - Friday, 9 April 2010 (Juba) – SPLM chairman Salva Kiir Mayardit says his party has withdrawn its candidate for the presidency, Yasir Arman, but has not called for a general boycott of the elections in the north, as announced on Wednesday by the SPLM secretary-general, Pagan Amum.

SSHEC Satisfied With Progress of Elections Run-Up
SRS - Friday, 9 April 2010 (Merowe) – President Omar al-Bashir has reiterated that there will be free and fair elections throughout the country. Addressing the public during the official opening of a hydro-electric plant at Merowe Dam on Thursday, President al-Bashir said elections which will begin on Sunday will be free of any irregularities. President al-Bashir was speaking at Merowe Dam, at the end of his presidential campaign.

Al-Bashir Says Elections Shall Be Fair Because It Is God's Will
SRS - Friday, 9 April 2010 (Juba) – The South Sudan High Elections Committee has described the campaign period for the April elections as ‘peaceful and without irregularities’. Jersa Kide Barsaba told SRS that the Committee has only received one official complaint which it could not verify.



Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter speaks to the press after meeting officials of the national election commission at their headquarters in Khartoum April 9, 2010. Sudan's first multi-party elections in 24 years are on track to start on Sunday, with Khartoum dismissing a U.S. suggestion that it would consider supporting a brief delay to ensure greater stability. (Reuters/Mohamed Nurdldin Fri Apr 9, 1:11 PM ET)



International observers from the U.S.-based Carter Center prepare to leave for Sudan's Northern states to monitor voting, in Khartoum April 9, 2010. Reuters/Mohamed Nurdldin Fri Apr 9, 1:38 PM ET)