[Montréal, Québec, Canada 10°C] Registration for Southern Sudan’s self-determination referendum begins today and continues until December 1, 2010. According to the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC) website, registration and voting centers have been established in 8 countries “with the largest numbers of Southern Sudanese living outside Sudan.” The countries are Australia, Canada (Toronto and Calgary), Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will be assisting the SSRC at its request in organizing the OCV.”
To be eligible to participate in the January 9, 2011 referendum, voters must meet one of three criteria as established by the SSRC: 1) Voter who belongs to one of the indigenous ethnic communities residing in the Southern Sudan (on or before January 1956; 2) Voter who traces his/her ancestry to one of the indigenous ethnic communities in Southern Sudan, but has not permanently resided in the south (without interruption) before or since Jan 1956; and 3) voter who does not belong to one of the indigenous ethnic communities in the Southern Sudan, but he/she or his/her parents or grand-parents are permanently residing in the South (without interruption) since 1st January 1956.
[Montréal, Québec, Canada 18°C] Sudan is indeed at a crossroad. On January 9, 2011, Southern Sudanese are expected to participate in a self-determination referendum that will determine whether the South will separate from the rest of Sudan and become Africa’s newest independent country. No small feat for a population that was at war for over 21 years.
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement brought the war to an end on January 9, 2005 and provided for a six-year interim period, during which time the Khartoum government and the former rebels would learn to get along. This included boundary demarcation, power sharing structures, an equitable wealth distribution, along with other provisions.
If the former rebel Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement and the NCP-dominated central government could not overcome their distrust and establish power structures to adequately share Sudan’s resources, then at the end of the interim period the Southern semi-autonomous government could hold an independence referendum. And that’s exactly what the South is preparing to do.
Filmmaker, journalist and development worker, Alexandra Sicotte-Lévesque, worked for almost 3 years in Sudan, in media and development with the BBC World Service Trust and the United Nations peacekeeping mission. She is seeking support to make a film with co-producers, Yanick Létourneau (Periphéria), Alessandro Pavone. According to their KickStarter webpage, the film, The Waiting Room,
follows young people ranging from the ages of 8 to 30 whom all live in Khartoum, and are each confronted with a unique quest. Their journeys take us between North and South Sudan. For the first time a film gives a voice to Sudanese youth from different origins, Muslims and Christians. The Waiting Room is an intimate portrait of a society that remains unknown to most and misunderstood by many. It addresses contemporary issues of identity and religion which continue to shape the world we live in.
Getting funding for a documentary film is not particularly easy in Canada these days. These filmmakers are using crowd-sourcing application, KickStarter, to raise enough funds to finish shooting the film in December before the referendum date. View some of the footage they have already taken. If the preview is any indication, Director of Photography, Katerine Giguère, has already shot gorgeous images that capture the beauty of the people, letting us put aside for a moment the nastiness of the politics in the country. If they manage to get enough funding, it promises to be a film that captures an intimate element of Sudan that is not covered in the media and that can only be seen either by visiting the country of by viewing a film like the one they propose.
I fell in love with the Southern Sudanese during my seven-week visit and all I think about is returning. Considering I’ve only been to Southern Sudan and know nothing about Khartoum, I find this project particularly interesting. Realities in Sudan’s capital city are quite different from those in Juba. I’m curious to learn what displaced southerners living in Khartoum think of the referendum, its probable outcome and I wonder if they will participate at the ballot box.
I encourage everyone, who can, to support this film project because Sudan’s story is as complex as it is interesting. Unfortunately, supporters like myself who don’t own a credit card, cannot support the project using PayPal. Luckily for me though, they are based in my hometown of Montréal, so I can actually meet with them and offer my support in person.
[Montréal, Québec, Canada 16°C] After taking the summer off to coordinate the Citizen Media Rendez-Vous, I’m now catching up with developments in Southern Sudan as the 2011 self-determination referendum approaches. My gradual catchup with the situation on the ground begins with Pete Muller’s Photography blog, Reports and Thoughts from Sudan and Beyond. You can follow his posts via my RSS feed to his blog, just below this site’s tags to the right.
I always return to Pete Muller’s photography website and his blog when I need to get close to Southern Sudan from my desk in Montréal. He is on the ground and when I look at his photos I can feel the Sudanese sun on my back and smell the dust in the air. He allows me to return from my arm chair and reminds me why I want to go back for real.
It has already been 17 months since my 7-week visit and details are blurring. I now edit the third video from the Video Portrait Series, which brings me back, but give little feedback to the time that has past since the moment of their recording. What is going on in Southern Sudan as it approaches its most important decision. Will it be better prepared that it was for its April 2010 elections?
I began following Pete’s blog during Sudan’s national elections last April, which are considered by most to have been manipulated, and undemocratic. The people he captured through his lens seemed familiar and close. I recognized (and still do) people I met during my visit in nearly each of his photographs. I appointed him as my surrogate presence, someone who would capture the people and their current affairs in a way that I was unable.
I would like to return for the 2011 referendum but the tenuous dates are rapidly approaching and uncertainty prevails. If I go, I will have to meet with Pete in Juba to get myself back on the ground. If I don’t go, I will continue to follow the stories he tells of the Southern Sudanese to keep me up-to-date with the moments that are marking their history with so much potential. Keep up the great work!
[Montréal, Québec, Canada 17°C] Southern Sudan was a place I had not heard much about before my seven-week visit to the East African region of the continent’s largest country. It is a part of Sudan where over eight million people are now recovering from a 21-year civil war that ended six years ago after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed. The southern rebels fought Sudan’s army and its militias for a generation, trying to bring freedom to the south and end the military junta’s systematic repression of the Nilotic South. The war devastated the land and its people, leaving two million dead, four million internally displaced and one million refugees.
I arrived in Juba on February 26, 2009 during the dry season and met with temperatures that reached 45°C in the shade. I visited mine fields being cleared around the southern capital and observed mine risk education projects in villages still waiting for de-mining teams to remove the hidden danger. Farmers are still reluctent to till the land for fear of stepping on landmines that continue to kill and maim. Continue reading →
[Montréal, Québec, Canada -10°C] Sudan is at a crossroads. Again. January 9, 2010 marked the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and the southern rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). The CPA ended 21 years of civil war.
Local drummer, Ajing Deng beats the drum as the dancers follows along. With him is a very young boy who is also caugh up in the action of drum beating. He is at it at a very young age, but its part of the rich tradition of the Sudanese culture.
Local drumist, Ajing Deng beats the drum as the dancers follows along. With him is a very young boy who is also caugh up in the action of drum beating. He is at it at a very young age, but its part of the rich tradition of the Sudanese culture.
International focus moved away from Sudan’s long civil war toward the regional rebellion and government’s genocidal reaction that began in Darfur around 2003. Darfur rebels became active with the objective of being included into the peace talks that resulted with the CPA deal. Unfortunately, they were excluded for reasons that are still not clear to me.
The signing of the CPA initiated a six-year interim period, during which time the central government in Khartoum and the semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan are to pass laws that will allow the two regions to coexist. Border issues are to be resolved, oil wealth distribution is to be made equitable, cencus and election legislation is to be passed. According to the CPA, if the two regions are still unable to coexist after the six years, then in 2011, Southern Sudan will hold a self-determination referendum to decide whether or not for independence, creating Africca’s newest independent state.
The 5th anniversary and Sudan’s first democratic, multiparty elections to be held in April 2010 are drawing more attention to the situation in all of Sudan. The myopic, but still important, focus on Darfur is being brought into the fold of the larger and more precarious situation in Southern Sudan, where much of the civil war was fought. If war returns to Southern Sudan, it will consume all of Sudan and the larger region.
One of the symptoms of the resurgent interest in maintaining the CPA in Sudan is Sudan 365, A Beat for Peace. Musicians from around the world (Sudan, UK, Australia, Japan, Brazil, Ireland, Egypt, Rwanda, Spain, Russia, USA, India, and elsewhere), take a video of themselves playing (mostly) percussian instruments that have been edited together in the video below as a single music video. Known artists like Radiohead’s Philip Selway, Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, Snow Patrol’s Jonny Quinn, the Police’s Stewart Copeland, have participated.
If you want to add your beat to the melée, you just need to upload your peace beat. It’s time to get the drums out and call your friends!
[Montréal, Québec, Canada 13°C] On April 24, 2010, the National Democratic Institute released a 29-page Election Statement by the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) and the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE), which conducted the only coordinated Sudan-wide non-partisan election monitoring effort for the April 2010 elections. Together, SuGDE in the north and SuNDE in the south, received more than 13500 reports from over 4300 trained and accredited election observers who were deployed to over 2000 polling stations across all of Sudan’s 25 states. Their observations are revealing and are helpful in understanding the election process in both northern and southern Sudan.
Observers remained in their polling stations throughout the day and reported through their respective county and state coordinators to data collection and analysis centers for SuNDE in Juba and SuGDE in Khartoum, where the reports were verified for quality and analyzed impartially according to standards for non-partisan election observation. SuGDE and SuNDE shared their observations and findings and developed this fact-based statement, released simultaneously at press conferences in Khartoum and Juba, respectively.
Below are the report’s executive summary and a selection from the 15 graphs included in the Statement. the report is divided into two parts, one by the SUGDE of activities in the north and the other by SuNDE of activities in the south. This report and others are available in our reference library.
(Source: Election Statement by The Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) and the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE) by National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - April 24, 2010)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The April 2010 elections were a requirement for moving forward with implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). However, the elections did not fulfill the Interim Constitution’s and CPA’s aspirations for democratic transition and did not adequately meet the requirements of the National Elections Commission rules and regulations. Sudanese citizens demonstrated their desire for democracy without a doubt through their registering, voting and participating in lively political debate in these elections. Extraordinary efforts are required to achieve democratic governance, and SuNDE and SuGDE will seek to contribute constructively to securing peace and democratic progress. The hopes of citizens should not be allowed to slip away.
SuNDE and SuGDE observed that the National Elections Commission (NEC) failed to adequately plan and prepare for the elections. The polling stations observed often lacked essential election materials to open on time or ran out of essential materials during the polling process. The inefficiency of the NEC to develop or publicize the polling station list and final voters’ lists in a timely manner also caused substantial confusion and potentially the disenfranchisement of a significant number of voters.
(Source: Election Statement by The Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) and the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE) by National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - April 24, 2010)
SuGDE and SuNDE observed that while the administration of the elections was deficient throughout Sudan, in Southern Sudan the administration of the elections was observed to be more problematic.
SuGDE and SuNDE observed several positive aspects to the elections. Voters turned out in large numbers and conducted themselves in a largely peaceful manner. Polling officials showed a strong commitment to fulfilling their responsibilities, particularly given the difficult circumstances. Thousands of citizens volunteered with civic organizations to observe the election and stayed through all 7 days of the polling and the counting process.
SuNDE and SuGDE recognize that this was the first election in Sudan since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and understand that the complexity of the electoral process and difficult logistical environment of Sudan made running this election challenging.
(Source: Election Statement by The Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) and the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE) by National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - April 24, 2010)
However, SuGDE and SuNDE recorded significant flaws in the election process at the polling stations observed
SuNDE recognized that in South Sudan the political parties actively participated in the election however, SuNDE observers noted a need for parties, candidates, and their supporters or agents to better understand their roles in the electoral process, particularly regarding interfering with the polling process
SuGDE notes that in the North of Sudan leading political parties boycotted the elections which deprived citizens of choice and made the elections confusing and less competitive.
SuNDE was concerned by the troubling number of incidents of intimidation and harassment reported by its observers in South Sudan, particularly by party and candidate agents and supporters, and unknown and unauthorized security personnel.
(Source: Election Statement by The Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) and the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE) by National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - April 24, 2010)
SuGDE was concerned by incidents of violence, intimidation and harassment in Southern Kordofan, Western Darfur, Northern Darfur and Sinnar
SuGDE and SuNDE are deeply concerned that the electoral process did not meet citizen’s expectations and failed to fully embrace democratic principles at the polling stations observed
SuNDE and SuGDE urge all election stakeholders to learn from these elections and apply those lessons to improve the transparency and credibility of future elections, including the 2011 Referendum.
[Montréal, Québec, Canada 13°C] Political dissent could be a dangerous activity, depending on where you live and how your government treats dissenting voices. In Sudan, reaction to dissent in Darfur by the Sudanese government led to mass displacement of its population into refugee camps in Chad or into displacement camps within Darfur. Reaction to dissent by rebel groups also led to violent attacks, mass killings, and other tactics that were commonplace during the North/South civil war that ended in 2005.
source: A mugshot of Omar al-Bashir taken from Girifna Facebook page.)
These government tactics also led to the International Criminal Court arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. Charges of genocide are pending review.
A Geoffrey York article published yesterday in The Globe and Mail, introduced me to a dissident group based in Khartoum called Girifna, which according to their website literally means “we are disgusted” and metaphorically, “we have had enough.” They describe their beginning:
In the evening of October 30, 2009 a group of three friends in Khartoum noticed on the eve of registration day that Sudanese citizens had no information about where to go to register and no national campaigning by the government or civil society groups was taking place. This was a problem, because no registration meant no voting. The group was propelled to start a peaceful quest for change based on a campaign that urges citizens to register so that they have a role in ridding the country of the National Congress Party (NCP) that has ruled for 20 years through a military coup. On the following day the group printed informational brochures urging people to register and they received support from many others who helped with the funding and distribution.
(source: Girifna logo taken from their Facebook page.)
Voter education is Sudan is important, particularly since there has not been any multiparty elections in the country since 1986, so much of the population have never had the opportunity to choosing their government representatives.
High illiteracy rates throughout the country — particularly in outlying regions in the South, Darfur and elsewhere — makes voter education necessary to consider the elections free and fair. With government control of most of the media landscape, popular education like handing out anti-establishment voter education pamphlets (see video below) by Girifna activists is indeed an act of bravery.
(source: Girifna)
In fact, I just copied this from the @girifna Twitter feed: “2 OF our guys were beaten and arrested by the NCP in Ombada Khartoum and now we r in the police station.” Considering the group is only five-and-a-half months old, a test of their bravery may just be getting started… Solidarity!
Maggie Fick wrote an interesting article from Juba, Southern Sudan after meeting with Girifna members.
The voting period that started on Sunday, April 11 will end in the evening of April 15. Results were scheduled to be released by April 18 but the two-day polling extension may push the results announcement back as well.
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Girifna Soap Advertizement (the photo on the shirt is the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir):
Members of Girifna hand out information pamphlets:
[Montréal, Québec, Canada 10°C] Today is election day in Sudan, the first of three days of polling. It is the first multi-party elections in Sudan since 1986, three years before the 1989 coup-d’état that brought Omar al-Bashir’s National Islamic Front – NIF (later renamed the National Congress Party – NCP) party to power.
It has been five years since the end of a 21-year civil war between the government of Sudan and the southern SPLM rebels that killed two million people and displaced more than four million others in Africa’s largest country. According to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the people of Southern Sudan will probably vote in a self-determination referendum in 2010 that is expected to result in a seperation vote.
The detailed results of this week’s elections are uncertain, but Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir will almost certainly win the presidency of Sudan and Salva Kiir Mayardit is expected to win the Presidency of Southern Sudan’s semi-autonomous region. But these anticipated results are not without controversy during these elections when votes will be cast for two presidents, 24 governors and 26 state and national assemblies on up to 12 different ballots. The logistical challenges for holding these elections have already shown errors.
[Montréal, Québec, Canada 3°C] Controversy is nothing new in Sudanese politics. Election songs by Sudanese musicians brings a breath of fresh air to the political wrangling of Sudan’s election campaign.
In recent days, we have learnt about the election ballots papers being printed by the governmental currency printer, the threat by Omar al Bashir to expell international election observers, thousands of missing names on voter lists in Eastern Equatoria, or the SPLM refusing the Sudanese Armed Forces to transport ballot papers to Southern Sudan.
It’s time to bring a bit of artistic creativity into the fold. Maybe spontaneous dancing will bring people together outside music shops in the markets of Juba and Khartoum, outside radio stations in Malualkon or Rumbek.
Sudan Votes asked musicians from all areas of Sudan to produce songs to promote peaceful, political participation in the upcoming April elections. On April 11, 2010, Sudanese will participate in the first elections in the country since 1986. Most people will have never voted before and popular education is an important facet to public participation.
The message of the music is “Yes to political participation! Yes to fair and peaceful elections!” A sort of election anthem. More than 120 submissions were received and 12 finalists were chosen by Sudan Votes journalists and German folk, soul and rap artist, Max Herre. Emmanuel Jal figures prominently among the finalists. I particularly like the track by Emannuel Kembe that you can listen to below.
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The above tune is one of the 12 chosen tracks included on the Sudan Votes, Music Hopes cassette compilation that is distributed throughout the country.
(source: Sudan Votes)
All of the 12 tracks can be downloaded from the project website for free but people are encouraged to make a donation. The total donations will be divided evenly among the 12 artists in an equitable democratic process: Download what you like while supporting the initiative of each of the artists.
It reminds me… I bought six cassette tapes in the Aweil market during my last visit to Southern Sudan and I haven’t played them yet. I guess it’s time to dust off the old tape deck and give them a listen!
To be eligible to participate in the January 9, 2011 referendum, voters must meet one of three criteria as established by the SSRC: 1) Voter who belongs to one of the indigenous ethnic communities residing in the Southern Sudan (on or before January 1956; 2) Voter who traces his/her ancestry to one of the indigenous ethnic communities in Southern Sudan, but has not permanently resided in the south (without interruption) before or since Jan 1956; and 3) voter who does not belong to one of the indigenous ethnic communities in the Southern Sudan, but he/she or his/her parents or grand-parents are permanently residing in the South (without interruption) since 1st January 1956.
