S Sudan vote continues as more deaths reported

STEPHEN MUDIARI | NATION. Voting going on during the third day at Suk Hajer in the outskirts of Juba, Southern Sudan, January 11th, 2011.

Juba, South Sudan

Southern Sudan Referendum entered its third day Tuesday amid reports of more deaths of the region’s citizens in the hands of suspected Khartoum-sponsored militias.

"A convoy of returnees coming from the North to the South were ambushed yesterday (Monday) at about 5pm (Juba/ East Africa time) by armed Misseriya. Ten were killed and 18 were wounded," Mr Gier Chuang Aluong told a press conference in Juba Tuesday.

The minister appealed for Khartoum to be held accountable for the attack by the heavily armed Northern Arab militias.

The plebiscite that has been going on smoothly in the semi-autonomous region since Sunday, has been marred by reports of rising number of deaths from attacks by the Misseriya, targeting the pro-Southern Dinka, in the disputed Abyei border district.

Meanwhile, the South Sudan Referendum Commission has announced the extension of the daily voting period by one hour.

Polling stations will now close at 6pm as opposed to 5pm for the remaining period, the commission chairman, Mr Chan Reec Madut announced in Juba Tuesday.

He further stated that the counting of the ballots will begin only after the final day of voting.

Mr Madut explained that the extension was necessary to allow more people to get time to vote after work.

The polling, which began on Sunday continues till January 15, during which a majority of the over 3.9 million voters are expected to have cast their ballots.

The Southern Sudanese need a victory on a voter turnout of at least 60 per cent for their secession wish to be granted.

Officers in charge of the polling centres in and around the Southern Sudanese capital exuded confidence that the process would be adjudged as credible.

At Munuki polling station No. 24, the chairman, Mr Justin Taban Lari, said 1,036 voted on Sunday, while 1,293 cast their ballots on Monday.

Munuki has 5,042 registered voters.

Mr Stephen Martin Sallah, the chairman of the Suk Hajer centre No. 26, said the process was continuing without any hitches at his station, although fewer women had called in to vote.

“Most women who live around here are traders in town. They probably registered to vote where they work,’’ he said.

The biggest polling point is at the Dr John Garang Mausoleum in central Juba, which has four polling centres; A, B, C, D.

The officer in charge of the A centre, Mr Mayang’ Mabok, said 1,395 people cast their ballots on Sunday, with another 767 turning up by close of business on Monday.

Mr Mabok said he expected a crowd as large as the one that turned out on the first day to report to the centre on the closing day.

His counterpart at the C centre, Mr Charles Ohisa Allam, said 875 of his centre’s 3,000 registered voters cast their ballot on Sunday. Tuesday attracted 672 voters.

The referendum on Southern Sudan’s independence follows the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLA) and the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in 2005.

The accord, signed in Nairobi, Kenya provided for a six-year interim period to allow the Southerners make up their minds on the best way forward.

A popular feeling among the Southerners, however, is that the six-years have been a period of many unfulfilled promises.