UN insists not taking sides in Sudan referendum

UNITED NATIONS-The United Nations insisted Tuesday it was up to the people of south Sudan to decide whether or not to opt for independence in an upcoming referendum, but said it would try to avert conflict in case of a yes vote.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky sought to clarify remarks UN chief Ban Ki-moon made in an interview in Addis Ababa Saturday in which he said the world body "will work toward (Sudan's) national unity."

He said in a statement that Ban "made clear that the UNITED NATIONS would work to support the parties in their efforts to 'make unity attractive' as well as the exercise by the people of southern Sudan of their right to self-determination in a referendum."

"In this connection, he made clear that the United Nations would work to avoid any potential negative consequences (conflict) following next year's referendum," Nesirky added.

"Any suggestion that the United Nations may have taken a position that may prejudge the outcome of such a referendum is incorrect."

A referendum on independence for southern Sudan is to be held in January 2011, and Ban said in the interview it was important for the United Nations and the African Union (AU) to be prepared, whatever the result.

"Now whatever the outcome may be, the United Nations has a very important obligation, responsibility, together with the African Union that there needs to be a peace maintained," Ban said.

"The United Nations position is that we will work toward the national unity, basically, but that depends upon how the people of south Sudan will decide through this referendum," the UN chief said.

Ban's reference to national unity in the interview was meant to signal support for a clause of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between Sudan's Muslim north and largely Christian south that ended a 21-year civil war.

"We need to ensure that this referendum should be taken in accordance with the CPA," the UN boss said.

The agreement stated that "the successful implementation of the CPA shall provide a model for good governance in the Sudan that will help create a solid basis to preserve peace and make unity attractive."

It allowed the creation of a semi-autonomous government for the south and paved the way for April's presidential, parliamentary and regional elections, as well as next year's referendum.

Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir said last week that Khartoum would recognize the independence of southern Sudan if it chose to secede in the referendum.

North and south are due to draw the 2,100 kilometre (1,300 mile) border between the two regions this year -- a delicate issue because of the significant oil reserves in the area.

Ban said it was vital that the elections and the referendum were carried out in a credible, transparent way.

"There are many fundamentally important issues like border demarcation, sharing wealth, citizenship. All these fundamentally important issues should be resolved so that the referendum can be held and so that we can ensure that the situation will be peaceful," he said.

Source:AFP

Sudan referendum must go ahead

Only a year is left before southern Sudan is due to hold a referendum on independence – a key provision of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended a decades-long civil war that left two million dead. Since then, the tragedy in Darfur has overshadowed the tension in the south. Now Sudan and the world have no time to lose in acting to save the peace.

It was never certain that a referendum would take place at all. Such predictability is precluded by the violent regime of Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir – who was indicted on genocide charges by the International Criminal Court last year – and the fact that a vote will probably favour secession.
But any attempt to prevent the referendum or pre-empt its outcome would immediately reignite the civil war. It must go ahead, even if a vote for secession will challenge both Sudan and the outside world. The best that can be hoped for is an orderly transition should secession indeed be the outcome. Managing such a transition must now be the aim of Sudanese politicians and the international community.

The conflict is made worse by the presence of oil in the south, which raises the stakes in whether the south is controlled from Khartoum or Juba.

Another wild card is Mr Bashir’s indictment. The Sudanese army’s crimes in Darfur amply justified the ICC’s warrant. But justice does not always provide the luxury of also creating good political incentives. Mr Bashir may want to undermine the referendum unless he can exact a price in the form of regained international legitimacy.

And yet, the peace treaty is working, however imperfectly. There has been no shortage of clashes and tensions, but mechanisms for resolving them peacefully have grown in strength. Last July, the permanent court of arbitration in the Hague ruled to split the disputed Abiey province, an oil-producing region claimed by both the north and the south. Promisingly, both said they would accept the ruling. And in December, a deal was reached that the south could secede if a simple majority of a 60 per cent turnout agreed.

The world must help Sudan steer through this process – without taking advantage of it. Above all, this applies to China, which is deeply embroiled in its oil sector. Preparations for the legal mess of an eventual secession cannot wait.

For the sake of their people and the credibility of future peace treaties Sudanese leaders must stick to the CPA’s terms. On this war-torn continent, its success is vital.

Source:ft.com/