By Ngor Arol Garang
November 15, 2009 (JUBA) — The Southern Sudanese living abroad have petitioned the National Election Commission over valid Identification Card for voter registration.
Most of the Sudanese living abroad particularly those who left from refugee camps in neighboring countries for resettlement and/or studies expressed concerns saying they have no passports or national identification documents which are required for registration.
"It is better our work IDs with witness as it is recognize by 2008 election act be accepted for registration," they requested.
In letters of complaint seen by Sudan Tribune from Southern students in Kenya to Sudan embassy and SPLM chapter chairpersons in European countries to United Nations Development Programs, the UNDP, they expressed concerns and asked NEC to allow the Diaspora use other IDs than the Sudanese passport to register in the electoral lists.
According to them, they stated that Sudanese embassies across the world restrict voter registration Sudanese to Diaspora members possessing national passport, identification card and not the alternate. This is unfair practice by the NEC as it limits selection of registration centers worldwide, the statements add.
They also requested for extension of time incase excluded countries are included from talks currently underway between the parties with intention to resolve inclusion of countries hosting good number of Sudanese people.
"We are requesting for extension of registration time because registration centers for all of Western Europe, the Sudanese Embassy in Brussels has not started the process yet while we are left with only 19 days," said Regina Gai, SPLM Chair in Norway, Oslo in a statement addressed to UNDP.
Similarly, Andruga Duku, a government of Southern Sudan Principal Liaison officer to Kenya while responding to the student presentation said that the issue at hand is indeed a problem not only to South Sudanese but the Darfurians as well.
"The exclusion of Sudanese in the Sub-Saharan African countries from that the registration affects not only South Sudan, but Darfur as well. For example most people who fled Darfur took refuge in Chad and Libya," he said.
Registration for elections is a right for all citizens and unless the election is intended for North Sudan only, the list presented by the NEC is discriminatory and not acceptable; he stressed adding the election is obviously not going to be free and fair as situation indicates.
The National Election Commission (NEC) of Sudan earlier this week confirmed acceptance of additional countries to the previous list for registration and voting to enable Sudanese abroad to participate in the upcoming elections next year.
The initial list includes Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain, the UK, Belgium (for all Western Europe) and Washington, New York, Los Angles for the USA.
Countries newly agreed upon for inclusion by the two parties in Africa includes Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa as well as and Malaysia, said Abel Alier, NEC chairman, adding discussions are underway to add other neighboring countries.
(ST)
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