Religious Leaders Call for Followers to Vote for Southern Sudan Independence - July 16, 2010

Sudan’s 22 year civil war ended recently with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that among other things schedules a January 2011 vote regarding independence for southern Sudan.  A coalition of Christian and Muslim leaders in south Sudan has urged people to vote in favour.

The Sudanese Religious Leaders Referendum Initiative was launched this week with the goal of convincing people in the south, whom it describes as “second class citizens,” to support independence.  Bishop Paul Yugusuk of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, was recently quoted in the Agence France-Press as saying “We have seen that the way to unity is destructive, but that the way to secession is better for the people of southern Sudan."

Peace has been fragile since the CPA ended years of conflict over ethnicity, religion and access to natural resources such as oil, gold and cotton.

Bishop Arkanjelo Wani of the Africa Inland Mission said that unity had “never been attractive.  Yet in five years something substantial has been made, so we are saying, the time for unity is over.”

The state Islamic Council for the southern region of Central Equatoria is also in favour of independence for south Sudan.  Their spokesman, Wani Gaden, said he would tell Muslims that he was in favour of independence.

At the same time as the referendum on independence for south Sudan takes place, a second referendum will occur to determine whether the central region of Abyei will join north or south Sudan. 

There are still some major issues facing the nation, however.  According to human rights organizations civil war is likely unless the north and south can come an agreement about oil sharing and the assurance that the voting during the referendum will be fair.

A spokesperson for Global Witness and Refugees International said “Alarmingly, the current level of preparation is poor and the possibility of holding two free, fair and peaceful referenda in January 2011 is becoming more difficult as each day passes.  It is imperative that the guarantors urgently redouble their efforts to ensure adequate preparations for the referenda, and help secure agreements on sensitive issues such as border demarcation and oil sharing.”

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