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Former U.S. President Carter to Monitor Sudan Vote

   The  director  of  the democracy program at the Carter Center said the
   arrival  Thursday  in  Khartoum  of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
   ahead   of   Sudanâs  general  election  signifies  the  international
   communityâs interest in the upcoming vote.

   Peter Clottey 07 April 2010
   U.S. President Jimmy Carter (file)

Photo: VOA

   U.S.  former  President Jimmy Carter is scheduled to arrive in Sudan's
   capital, Khartoum ahead of the upcoming vote.

   The  director  of  the democracy program at the Carter Center said the
   arrival  Thursday  in  Khartoum  of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
   ahead   of   Sudanâs  general  election  signifies  the  international
   communityâs interest in the upcoming vote.

   David  Carroll  said  President  Carter  will  be  leading  the Carter
   Centreâs poll observer team during Sudanâs vote set for April 11-13.

   âPresident  Carter  and  other leaders of our mission will be arriving
   today  Thursday  to lead the Carter Center observation team in Sudan,â
   he said.

   This  comes  after  Sudanâs  incumbent  President  Omar  Hassan Bashir
   announced  he  will  grant  President  Carter  and  his  observer team
   unlimited access during the vote.

   The  Sudanese  leader  had  earlier  threatened  to expel foreign poll
   observers for âinterferenceâ after the carter center suggested a brief
   delay in the election.

   Carroll  said  President  Carter  will  be leading a team that will be
   impartial in assessing the vote.

   âOur  purpose  is  two-fold.  We  are trying to show the international
   community  whatâs  happening in Sudan (and) we are also here to render
   an  assessment  as  an  impartial,  credible observer group, about the
   electoral  process  that  has  been  unfolding here in Sudan,â Carroll
   said.

   Dr.  David Carroll, Director, Democracy Program, The Carter Center Dr.
   David Carroll, Director, Democracy Program, The Carter Center

   The election, scheduled to begin Sunday, is Sudanâs first in 24 years.
   The  vote  forms  part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)
   signed between the north and south after years of civil war.

   Carroll  said  the Carter Centerâs poll observers have been working in
   Sudan since last year.

   âWeâve  been operating in Sudan at the invitation of the government of
   Sudan  and of the election authorities and also under the terms of the
   Memorandum   of  Understanding,  which  provides  for  the  access  of
   observersâ¦throughout the country,â Carroll said.

   The  election  will  see  Sudanese  vote  for  a  national  president,
   president  of the semi-autonomous southern Sudan, national assembly as
   well as local and governors.

   Carroll  said incumbent President al-Bashir has clarified his previous
   pronouncement  about  expelling international observers after accusing
   them of âinterferenceâ.

   âWe  were  concerned  about  some of the remarks made in the past week
   made by President Bashir, but he has clarified his statements recently
   that  we  will  have complete access and our observers will be able to
   carry out their work," Carroll said.

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