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Southern Sudanese Vote in London

   Selah Hennessy | London 12 January 2011
   A  Southern  Sudanese  woman  smiles  as  she  has  her identification
   documents  checked  by  an  official  before  casting her vote for the
   Southern  Sudan  Referendum  in  a  special  polling station set up in
   central London, 09 Jan 2011.

Photo: AP

   A  Southern  Sudanese  woman  smiles  as  she  has  her identification
   documents  checked  by  an  official  before  casting her vote for the
   Southern  Sudan  Referendum  in  a  special  polling station set up in
   central London, 09 Jan 2011.

   Europeās  Southern  Sudanese  Diaspora has headed to London to vote in
   Sudanās referendum on independence.
   In  the  heart  of central London southern Sudanese from around Europe
   have come to vote in the countryās referendum. The vote will decide if
   Sudan is to split in two, creating a new country for Africa.
   Rita  ,  a southern Sudanese who has also been an observer here at the
   center  in London, says itās important for the south Sudanese diaspora
   to have its say.
   āItās  very important for us because most of us are coming from asylum
   seeker backgrounds or refugees," said Paulino. "Since the war finished
   we  need  to go back home and where we want to rebuild our country and
   make our contribution.ā
   London  is  the  only  voting center for the whole of Europe. Yet just
   over 650 people registered to vote - thatās out of an estimated 10,000
   in  Europe. Thatās in part because people were advised not to register
   unless  they  were  sure  they would turn up: 60 percent of registered
   voters had to cast their vote for the ballot to be recognized.
   In London, more than 60 percent flooded the voting center on the first
   day.
   Paulino says thereās another reason why so few registered.
   āMost  of  those  in  Europe,  some  of  them are staying there," said
   Paulino.Ā   "They  are  illegal  there  so they canāt come through the
   borders  within  Europe  easily so thatās why they couldnāt make it to
   come - thatās why most of them didnāt turn up.ā
   But  despite  the low registration in Europe, southern Sudanese living
   in  countries  around  the  continent  have come to London in order to
   vote.  Sarah  Nyachan  Bayak  Tutlam is from Holland and came with her
   father and sister.
   āI  think  this  is  a  historical  moment  for all southern Sudanese,
   wherever they are or may be,ā said Tutlam.
   This  weekās  referendum  on  whether  the  oil-rich south should gain
   independence from the government based in the north was central to the
   peace  deal  made in 2005. That peace agreement ended a civil war that
   lasted two decades and left an estimated 2 million people dead.
   Southern Sudanese are widely expected to vote for independence.
   Dutch voter Tutlam says for her the day is particularly significant.
   āI  came  to  London  to  be  able  to vote for the referendum for the
   southern  Sudanese  because  I  was  born  in the war so I have been a
   refugee all my life," she said. "This is what I was dreaming for, that
   south  Sudanese would get this day and Iām glad that I am a part of it
   and that I can vote.ā
   London  isnāt the only international voting center thatās been set up.
   Voting  is  also  taking  place in Australia, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia,
   Kenya,  Uganda, and the United States - the eight countries thought to
   have the most south Sudanese living outside the country.

   Around  64,000  southern  Sudanese  have  registered  -  thatās out of
   several hundred thousand who are thought to be living abroad.

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