Sudan’s ruling party accused of rigging elections in Darfur

KHARTOUM, Wednesday

An international think tank has accused Sudan’s ruling party of trying to rig elections in war-torn Darfur region, as the country prepares for its first multi-party polls in 24 years.

The International Crisis Group said voter registers for the April 11 to 18 polls had been manipulated, constituencies based on a flawed 2008 census and the election commission staffed with too many pro-government officials, in a report released late on Tuesday.

Darfur has 19 per cent of the population of Sudan. President Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s dominant National Congress Party can expect little support in south Sudan, which has slightly more people.

“Winning big in Darfur is thus central to the NCP’s hopes of capturing enough votes in northern Sudan to ensure its continued national dominance,” the report said.

Unable to register

“According to national and international observers alike, many groups targeted in the conflict, especially internally displaced people, were unable to register (to vote) or refused to do so,” the report said.

“In many instances, people were deliberately denied sufficient time and information, while teams worked hard in remote areas to register nomads who support the government.”

The United Nations estimates the conflict which began in North Darfur in 2003 has driven more than 2.5 million from their homes, with some 200,000 refugees in neighbouring Chad. It estimates 300,000 have died in the ensuing humanitarian crisis.

Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur.

Most of those displaced fled North Darfur to camps in the west and south, the United Nations has said.

But the 2008 census found the population had increased in North Darfur and decreased in West Darfur. “The impact of the census is very significant,” the ICG said. “Western Darfur (was) allocated only fifteen seats in the national assembly compared to 24 for Northern Darfur.”

ICG said the mid-ranks of the National Elections Commission had been filled with NCP supporters, an allegation the commission has denied.

The NCP was not immediately available to comment on the report. It has previously dismissed similar comments.

The report said the international community should award no legitimacy to whoever won the polls.