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Sudan Tribune

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Diaspora voter registration without presidential candidates

By James Okuk

November 23, 2009 — The choice of the Diaspora will be limited in the 2010 elections according to the Sudan 2008 Electoral Act. They will only elect the president of the united Sudan; and that shall be Mr. Omer Al Bashir (the current sitting president) or whoever is going to contest with him from the opposition parties or alliances.

The other posts like the Presidency of GoSS, Governorship of States and all the Parliamentarian seats shall only be presented for preferential choice by those inside the Sudan. So unless the SPLM, the SPLM-DC and other political parties are going to contest for the Sudan Presidency seated in Khartoum, all the efforts of their supporters in the Diaspora to register for voting shall be in vain if any of the registered voter does not want to elect Al Bashir or the opposition candidate(s).

If the SPLM, the SPLM-DC and the other Southern political parties are going to contest the GoSS Presidency post only and below, then their Diaspora supporters will be out of elections game as they shall not have candidates (players in the field) to support and cast their ballots on. The Electoral law shall not allow them to vote for Dr. Salva Kiir, Dr. Lam Akol, Eng. Charles Kisanga, Dr. Riek Machar, Mr. Wani Igga, Mr. Malik Aggar, Madam Nyadeng Garang, Madam Awud, Mr. Nial Deng, Mr. Pagan Amum, Mr. Yasser Arman, etc., if these politicians were presented as the candidates for Juba seated Presidency or any governorship post in the states.

However, the only best thing they could do is to mobilize the registered friends and relatives inside the Sudan to vote on their behalf for the candidtes of their best choice below the Khartoum based presidency. The current Voter Registration they have rushed to and complained to do shall be useless to use directly for other candidates apart from national Presidential hopefuls.

I have been thinking of this deeply as people wast their money in Diaspora to rush to the Embassies and Consulates for registration, not understanding that they will end up voting for no one of their choice in April 2011 or boycotting voting at all.

This is the trick and the dilemma of what we call democracy and democratic transformation. Sometimes and in most cases, especially in less developed countries we end up being presented with candidates who are not our preferences. It is the price of democracy or call it tyranny of the majority. Think deeply about this and be ready for the shock if you have not thought about it.

Dr. James Okuk.could be reached at [email protected]

21 Comments

  • Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
    Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy

    Diaspora voter registration without presidential candidates
    Lam Akol is the candiate register with confidence we have him to make the Democratic Changes in Sudan. DC is there for us lets register. Future president or vice president of Sudan is Akol, for Kiir he will qualified to rule Bor as a governor and Kuol as a commissionar, ie new role and new orders end of history South security under control. One thing we like about Lam is that he has a professional strategy and knowledge of maintaining peace, security and economy of this country.

    Reply
  • Liber Ator
    Liber Ator

    Diaspora voter registration without presidential candidates
    Dr. Okuk,

    Is that what your father(Bashir) has told you?

    We are just partnering with Khalil and Abdalla-wahid, make sure you find yourself a hiding place when the SPLA comes to Khartoum with JEM next time. We will carry out the ground operations and our allies will take care of the air combat. You will run out of luck Dr.

    Major Liber Ator by name

    Major Liberator by nature

    Reply
  • Dinka Boy
    Dinka Boy

    Diaspora voter registration without presidential candidates
    Mr James Oduk,

    Take out your master Lam Akol Ajawin from the list.
    This man is completely abetrayer no doubt about him.
    If you want to be slave by Arab then the very man Lam will be the Candidate,but if want freedom then take him off the rest.

    Why are you wasting your spare time with the stupid tribalist article instead of you stay like others who feel they are trablist.
    Thanks

    Reply
  • Pwad Achob
    Pwad Achob

    Diaspora voter registration without presidential candidates
    Hi Liber Ator,

    You do not know the consequences of what you say but I,with due respect, personally play down your ignorance,unwise & poor judgement.

    We want southern sudan to be democratic,peaceful and for us to live in peace & prosperty but it seems impossible due to the fact that your style is uncivilized and it is reckless behaviour in persuing peaceful means of governing our beautiful country.We will not be able to achieve our objectives of being independent, prosperous and be recognised as a nation unless we abide by rule of Law and developed a goood multiparty system of government.

    SPLM/SPLA should not be used as a slogan to threaten other people who have different ideas and vision which could be of benefit to the southern sudan and its citizens.I hope people like you are not inviting a civil war in the south.

    Please be advised that southerners are very good in taking up arms.It has been so for the last 39 years(1955 -1972)(1983 – 2005) and that is why we were able to establish SPLM/SPLA with the aid of those who rebelled before the formation of SPLM/SPLA and for your information, there is already a move because of what is happening in the south today. So be careful of what you say and do not misbehave yourself.

    If you want southern sudan to be a one party system of goverment then it will be very difficult to find an allay like U.S.A because they are against one party system.

    Please refrain from abusing other people and put your comments in a sensible way and not to be abusive.If you want to do harm somebody, I am sure your fate will be the same.Peaceful coexistance is an asset and a good investment.

    Take care of yourself to live longer.

    God bless you.

    Reply
  • Akuma
    Akuma

    Diaspora voter registration without presidential candidates
    Diasspora are voiceless in Sudan, this could be Northern governent Sudan influence, Most diasphoras are mainly from Southern Sudan, and if they are considered to vote during election, they will let the Southern Sudan candidates who will contest from South Sudan to will election.

    There are many refugees living outside Sudan due to one reason or other, and the government of Sudan neglect their nationality even though they carry their Sudanese passport like flying flag, they are not consider.

    Here in USA, there is only one voting station for Sudanese refugees who living in USA, leaving other part unrecognise as they are Sudanese. If we make assessment of Sudanese refugees, they can overcome USA population and Sudan government didn’t allow that decision of considering them as native of Sudan.

    Apart from Australia who hosts 2.4 millions of Sudanese refugees according to United Nations Assessment 2008 report. Why are they not consider, can they live in those continents as Natives or not?

    Failure of diaspora registration and participation during election will weaken governent of Southern Sudan.

    Our governent fail to consider refugees during census and even those In the country not well counted, that why they figure for Southern Sudan is less than Darfur figure because Southern Sudan Leaders are not consider their fellow Southerners in Diaspora.

    Without diaspora, Southern Sudan governent will not establish what they are hoping for that is referendum in 2011 for Southern Sudan as a different country.

    Remember; Sudan people’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) was establish outside the country, then this is true, Southern Sudan will have their referendum from their diaspora living outside the country.

    Embassies are not Southerners even though all us carry passport, we are not consider.

    How many people in Sudan who really always have passports, if we consider passport as a mean of registration, then many resident in Sudan will not vote during election.

    Please let make use of our Nationality card.

    DR. AKUMA, CHICAGO USA

    Reply
  • Pwad Achob
    Pwad Achob

    Diaspora voter registration without presidential candidates
    Hi Adoul Liet,

    You are very interesting but look funny & ignorant because your comment has no substance and maturity.How can you just rule Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin out from the stage that he can not be a leader in the south and not even in Collo community?

    Mr.Abel Alier did represent the government of sudan when Addis Ababa agreement was signed and yet he became the first President of the autonomous southern sudan by then. Nobody was bitter that he should have not become the President inspite of the fact that he collobrated with the enemy even to this day he is still with the enemy and nobody opens his or her mouth.But you keep on beating the drum about Dr Lam.This is unfair you parasites.

    We(Collo)have participated in both struggles of Any-anya & SPLM/SPLA, not to mention during Al Mahdi & colonial invaders, with a good number heroes even though people like you do not appreciate it.But let me tell you, we have been quite respectfuland commited to the struggle for long time because we are a tribe with a system of governance and articulte when we decide on public matters.

    We have realised that our quiteness is being exploited by people like you so look forward for more harsh behaviour in the future.We have started to revisit our relationships & commitment with people like you.If you have two guns, we will get three.If you have one SPLA, we will have two SPLA.Please note that you do not manufacture arms in the south and we will go where the arms are obtained.

    Be careful you parasite.

    Reply
  • kuminyandi
    kuminyandi

    Diaspora voter registration without presidential candidates
    Hi Dr. Okuk,

    Thanks for your insights. You really shed lights on very important issue. However, I got a question for you to answer. You mentioned in your last paragraph that trick and dilemma are being waged to discourage Diaspora voters from exercising their political rights. So, who is (are) responsible for these tricks and dilemma. In other words, who are (is) to be blamed for these electoral gimmicks?

    Reply
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