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Home Reports 12 March: 'The Sudanese Elections of April 2010: A Missed Opportunity for Peace and Democracy'

12 March: 'The Sudanese Elections of April 2010: A Missed Opportunity for Peace and Democracy'

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In April 2010 the first multi-party elections since 1986 are due to be held in Sudan. International agencies, including the UN, have heralded the elections as a sign that Bashir and his NCP government are honouring their commitment to free and fair elections required by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, 2005. However, as the fourth most corrupt country in the world (according to Transparency International) nears polling day, there are major concerns over the safety of civilians, the alienation of the Darfuri people and allegations that the opposition party are colluding with the NCP, with international monitors, including the Carter Center, claiming that under current conditions the elections cannot be considered free or fair.

In February 2010 three members of the Waging Peace team visited south Sudan, and during our interviews with key political figures, representatives of Sudanese civil society and observers it became apparent that many fear that the entire voting process will not meet the benchmark for free and fair elections due to:

A flawed population census in 2008-9 on which constituencies are based;

  • Widespread irregularities during the voter registration process;
  • Persistent violence in both Darfur and Southern Sudan;
  • Belated and inadequate election preparations;
  • Insufficient, inadequate and sporadic civic education;
  • A police force that is insufficiently prepared to offer security to voters;
  • A crackdown on opposition parties throughout Sudan, and a persisting lack of freedom of speech and assembly without which a genuinely free election campaign is impossible;
  • The intimidation of voters during registration which does not auger well for polling day;
  • The lack of observers deployed to polling places in insecure and volatile areas, and the ability of polling place officials to arbitrarily ban observers;
  • The role local southern politicians are playing in fomenting violence for partisan and personal gain;
  • The SPLM's short-sighted tactic of focusing on the 2011 southern secession referendum, while accepting the likelihood of an NCP victory in the north.
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WP in the News

1 June 2010, letter in the Guardian, 'African Democracy and Human Rights'

 

'African Democracy and Human Rights'

Letter to the Guardian

Tuesday 1 June 2010, Louise Roland-Gosselin

 

The snubbing of the inauguration of Omar al-Bashir by Britain and the US, (World leaders stay away as Bashir sworn in for new term in Sudan, 28 May) demonstrates the hypocritical stance world leaders continue to take to the Sudanese president. In April, the international community accepted the results of Sudan's deeply flawed elections, despite evidence of ballot-box stuffing, political intimidation and violence at polling stations, in the hope of keeping cordial relations with Bashir. His indictment by the international criminal court for war crimes and crimes against humanity has been almost completely sidelined and it is believed that the US is preparing to lift trade sanctions on Sudan. Better relations with Bashir, it is thought, will bring peace to Sudan – yet talks on Darfur are at a standstill and the government continues to bomb Darfur's Jebel Marra with impunity.

For over five years the world has pandered to Sudan behind closed doors, publicly issuing empty threats, which have resulted in conditions for the people of Sudan only becoming more desperate. It is time that Cameron and Obama took seriously the threat of a man who has killed over 2 million of his own civilians.