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South Sudan Accuses North of Withholding Referendum Funds

   Peter Clottey 05 December 2010
   Residents  of  the remote south central Southern Sudan village of Nyal
   line  up  to  register  their  names at a local school being used as a
   voter registration office, 15 Nov 2010.

Photo: AFP

   Residents  of  the remote south central Southern Sudan village of Nyal
   line  up  to  register  their  names at a local school being used as a
   voter registration office, 15 Nov 2010.

   South  Sudanâs  envoy  to the United States and the United Nations has
   called  on  the  international  community  to  pressure President Omar
   Hassan  al-Bashir and his National Congress Party (NCP) to provide its
   portion  of  funds  needed  to  support  the  work  of  the referendum
   commission ahead of the 9^th January referendum.

   Ezekiel  Lol  Gatkuoth,  who  is  also  a member of the Sudan Peopleâs
   Liberation   Movementâs  (SPLM)  ruling  council,  told  VOA,  despite
   repeated  appeals, President Bashirâs NCP has refused to provide funds
   for the commission to adequately prepare for the upcoming vote.

   âIt  is  very  clear  now  that  the  National  Congress  Party is not
   interested  in  having  the  referendum  conducted. So, they have been
   dragging  their  feet and the sign that is very clear now is that they
   are  not  actually  paying  their  share  (for  the referendum),â said
   Gatkuoth.

   âThe  referendum  is  basically  being paid (for) by the government of
   southern  Sudan  as  a  whole,  and  the  international  community  is
   contributing  effectively  in  making  sure  that  the  referendum  is
   conducted  on  time.  That  is why we are calling on the international
   community to pressure them (Khartoum) to release money.â

   Officials  of  the  Sudan  Peopleâs Liberation Movement (SPLM) say the
   refusal of the NCP to financially support the referendum commission is
   yet  another  attempt  by  the governing party to derail south Sudanâs
   self-determination vote, a charge the NCP sharply denies.

   The  NCP  has  accused  the  SPLM  of  flouting  the Referendum Act by
   intimidating  and  harassing  prospective  voters in the run up to the
   January vote.

   But, Gatkuoth said there are indications that the NCP is disinterested
   in  the referendum and, in his words, will do anything to sabotage the
   vote.

   âWe  have discussed it many times with the NCP so that they can commit
   themselves to paying their share, but they are refusing. It is another
   tactic  of them dragging their feet on the referendum implementation,â
   Gatkuoth said.

   âWe  are  actually rejecting any call for the referendum voting day to
   be  extended  or  delayed for a day, or even a second. We are going to
   vote on the 9^th of January 2011, and we are ready for a new nation.â

   As  part  of  the  2005  Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), southern
   Sudanese  will be allowed to vote in a referendum to decide whether to
   be part of the north or secede and become and independent country.

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