Uncertainty reigns in Southern Kordofan

Although the vote-counting process is supposed to include the participation of all parties, the electoral commission decided to continue its work even after the withdrawal of the SPLM, a development that drove many citizens to leave Kadugli, fearing for their lives and property.

With its strategic position at the border between north and south Sudan, Southern Kordofan's area covers the size of Austria. Given the state’s oil resources, fertile soil and wealth of livestock, the race on 2 May for the gubernatorial seat was fiercely contested by Ahmed Haroun of the National Congress Party (NCP) and the SPLM’s candidate, Abdelaziz Adam al Hilu.

Voters line up at a local polling station on 2 May. UN Photo: Stuart PearceBoth parties have repeatedly declared their commitment to security and stability, a position reiterated by the SPLM when it unilaterally rejected the election results on grounds of fraudulent practices.

Despite assurances, peace has not won the hearts of Southern Kordofan's citizens. A grocery store owner in Kadugli who declined to give his name said he would leave town after the announcement of the election results  brought the city to the verge of fire”. There are more soldiers than civilians on the street, he explained. And when it becomes normal to see those civilians carrying Kalashnikovs, something is very wrong.

The SPLM’s call for intervention drew many responses from the international community, with envoys from the US, the EU, and the African Committee of Elders arriving in Southern Kordofan to meet the two gubernatorial candidates.

The SPLM based its rejection of the election results on a number of violations and what it called devious tactics” allegedly pursued by the NCP.

Also by Zeinab Saleh: "Southern Kordofan: Votes for sale"

These include the placement of extra ballot boxes throughout Kadugli, the addition of a new voting centre, and the inappropriate use of a vehicle for campaign purposes. The NCP is also accused of committing a legal violation since all campaigning is supposed to cease 48 hours before election day, a requirement the NCP allegedly did not respect.

The list goes on. Barima Ahmed Bulbot, the SPLM’s election campaign coordinator in Muglad, described a large number of security personnel dressed in civilian clothes who tried to vote at the Al-Khansaa school polling station even though they weren’t registered there.

Commentary by Faisal Saleh: "Defusing election tension in Southern Kordofan"

"When I asked them to show their identification so we could match it to their voting papers,” Bulbot said, they left in silence because the notifications did not belong to them. They tried the same tactic again at the Southern School Centre, but we were there waiting for them."

Since most journalists covered the vote from the state capital, they did not witness any of the events on the outskirts of the city. Their decision to remain in Kadugli may have been due to security concerns, since many militias loyal to the NCP are reported to be active in outlying areas.

Ballot instructions for Southern Kordofan.As the only reporter in those areas, I was arrested by the security forces on the pretext that I lacked the necessary press permit to carry out my investigations. I was released after two hours of detention and interrogation about my profession and the organisation I work for.

Apparently the same argumentation - a lack of proper permits - was used to expel UN election observers who tried to follow-up on the logistical support they had offered.

Observers affiliated to civil society organisations were absent from both El-Mirm and El-Steep areas near Abyei, south of Muglad. An employee of the Carter Center confirmed that observers were present in one district, but absent from four others, since the area was too large to be covered.

Perhaps that explains the Agence France-Presse (AFP) report quoting the Carter Center’s assessment that the vote was conducted in a non-partisan and transparent manner under intense scrutiny from leading political parties".

I would beg to differ.