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Sudan Ruling Party Official Expects Push to End Voter Registration

   Peter Clottey 01 December 2010
   Sudan President Omar al-Bashir

   IN SEARCH OF A VENUE When the International Criminal Court asked Kenya
   to  arrest Sudanâs President Omar al-Bashir as he arrived for a summit
   meeting  of  the  seven  East African nations of the Intergovernmental
   Authority  on  Development  in Nairobi, summit organizers talked about
   moving  meeting  to discuss a political solution for troubled Sudan to
   Addis  Ababa, Ethiopia, which is not an ICC signatory. Instead, the AU
   opted for postponement of the meeting. AP photo.

   A  prominent member of Sudanâs governing National Congress Party (NCP)
   told  VOA  several  concerned groups in south Sudan will soon petition
   the countryâs Constitutional Court to seek an end to the ongoing voter
   registration ahead of Januaryâs referendum.

   The  ruling NCP said the Sudan Peopleâs Liberation Movement (SPLM) has
   flouted  the  Referendum Act by intimidating and harassing prospective
   voters.

   Rabie  Abdelati Obeid said the groups will claim that intimidation and
   harassment of prospective voters will undermine the credibility of the
   votersâ list, as well as the upcoming referendum.

   â(They)  will  ask  the Constitutional Court to look into the case (of
   intimidations  and  harassment) and to cancel the registration that is
   already  underway  due  to the violations. These practices are against
   the transparency and the freedom and will affect the referendum,â said
   Obeid.

Obeid

   Dr.  Rabie  Abdelati  Obeid  is a prominent member of Sudan's dominant
   National Congress Party (NCP)

   âTherefore,   this   registration  should  be  canceled  so  that  the
   registration  will  be (in accordance with) the Referendum Act and the
   interim  constitution⦠ and  that,  if  conducted, the results of the
   referendum will be void, as the registration is void.â

   The  governing  NCP  also  said that there is enough evidence to prove
   that  officials of the SPLM encouraged southerners living in the north
   not to register for the 9^th January referendum.

   But, the SPLM denies the accusation saying it is rather members of the
   NCP  that  are  engaged  in intimidation and harassment of southerners
   living in the north.

   Sudanâs  referendum  commission  is  compiling  a votersâ list in both
   north and south that would be used to conduct the referendum.

   Obeid said his party has expressed similar concerns about what he said
   were  obstacles  in the voter registration that could lead to a failed
   referendum.

   âThe  request  (petition)  may also point out wrong steps taken by the
   referendum   commission   regarding  those  people  appointed  at  the
   registration centers because a majority of them are under 40 years (of
   age),  whereas  the  (referendum)  Act mentions that all the employees
   working in the registration centers should be at least 40 years old.â

   He  also  said  there  are  indications  that  non-Sudanese  are being
   encouraged to register to vote in the January referendum.

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