In February 2010 Sudan is scheduled to hold its first democratic elections in 24 years. General elections are required by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, or CPA, which the ruling National Congress Party, or NCP, and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, or SPLM, signed in 2005 to end a second civil conflict between northern and southern Sudan that lasted two decades, killed two million people, and displaced four million more.
Created by Enough on Jun 9, 2009
Last updated: 03/12/10 at 02:11 AM
Tags: Sudan Elections Darfur Genocide
The winners of the elections will be announced. If large numbers of people are disenfranchised by logistical complications or political manipulations, electoral losers may become peace spoilers.
The voting period will end. Elections will bring political competition and confrontation within heavily militarized and mutually suspicious populations and give Khartoum an opportunity to stoke intercommunal violence. Small sparks on a local level from tribal power politics or local grievances can spiral out of control rapidly and state security forces have little capacity to provide security or contain conflict.
The first registered voters will begin voting.
Headed by Amr Mousa. Delegation heading to Juba afterwards to discuss the Arab Investment Conference in South Sudan, and the opening of 1st "model village" as supported and launched by the member states.
*Arab Coalition and Cairo Institute for Human Rights delegation attending.
A meeting of Obama's deputies in order to review the administration's policy on Sudan.
One year countdown to 2011 referendum.
"I do think that those who follow the Darfur situation closely will be intrigued by the following exchange in which Michael Abramowitz, Rice's interlocutor for the evening and the the director of the museum's Committee on Conscience, presses Rice to elaborate on the set of incentives and pressures the Obama administration is willing to use to secure the Sudanese government's cooperation on Darfur and South Sudan. You'll remember that last week, U.S. Sudan Envoy Scott Gration denied that such a list even existed. Well, not only does Rice say that the list exists, but that the President himself has signed-off on benchmarks by which all parties to the conflict will be held. "
http://www.undispatch.com/node/9253
The organisation also received reports of those arrested being tortured in detention. More than 200 people, including opposition leaders and human rights activists, were arrested as they gathered in front of the parliament building this morning.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/sudan-must-end-violent-crackdown-protestors-20091207
Parties will use this period to campaign for office. There are fears that citizens will not be able to campaign and participate in the electoral process without fear of censorship, repression, and human rights abuses, unless the National Assembly amends and alters existing legislation—including the press and security laws—to provide adequate safeguards for civil liberties.
The Sudanese government and rebel groups in Darfur refuse to abandon the military option and are increasingly violating a UN arms embargo with the help of dual-use vehicles and aircraft, a UN panel said in a new report.
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-11-08-arms-embargo-violations-on-the-increase-in-darfur
Facing immense hurdles, voters from across Sudan will begin the voter registration process.
Facing immense hurdles, voters from across Sudan will begin the voter registration process.
The Obama administration releases a Sudan policy review calling for consequences if parties don't "live up to their obligations to prevent a return to war."
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/oct/130672.htm
In some regions, there are as many as twelve different ballots for local and national offices. Candidates for all of these positions will be nominated during this period. Such a complex procedure—one that would require a sophisticated voter education effort in even the most developed of nations—is a very poor fit for Sudan.
Registering voters is a very difficult task, particularly in Darfur and the South. The electoral commission’s decision to conduct voter registration during the South’s rainy season is also potentially problematic. Just as there were concerns that polling during the rainy season would lead to disenfranchisement, attempting to register during the same period could lead to large numbers being left off the voting rolls in the South.
The process of determining localities ends.
The National Electoral Commission announced in May that it had begun determining the total number constituencies for each state based on disputed national census data that ahs been previously rejected.
The International Criminal Court's pretrial judges have decided to issue a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's Darfur region, according to an official at the United Nations.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/11/AR2009021103951.html
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