By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 15, updated -- With the scheduled Southern Sudan referendum a mere 55 days away, voter registration has only now begun. On the eve of a UN Security Council meeting on the topic, the European Union invited the Press to a discussion of its work in Sudan including Darfur, and then said it was under “Chatham House Rules,” with participants not to be identified by name.
The lead EU observer to another African election this year said 55 days was clearly not enough, that registration should begin many months before a vote. Answers admitted what several Security Council diplomats have been saying for some time, that the January 9 date is “not realistic” and that efforts are being made to convince the South not to hold its own referendum.
Inner City Press asked if the EU agrees with the new United States position, that a referendum in Abyei is not necessary as long as Khartoum and Juba agree on some other disposition. The answer was that no such agreement is in the offing, not even close, and that this is an issue that Omar al Bashir and Salva Kiir will discuss directly.
A human rights organization's representative asked if the EU would be avoiding any meeting with Bashir or another International Criminal Court indictee, Ahmed Haroon. Here the answer was cagier: the EU “Mission will be aware” of the issue.
It was recounted that UN envoy Haile Menkerios has estimated 5.5 million eligible voters, 4.5 million of them in the South. So the rest are in North Sudan and the eight countries in which diaspora polling will be held. But what about the earlier census of Southerns in the North? And the provision that if 60% of those registered do not vote, the referendum is invalid?
Earlier on November 15, Inner City Press asked the UN's Valerie Amos about a directive by UN Humanitarian Coordinator Georg Charpentier banning all non essential Darfur travel until February. Ms. Amos said this was so that UN staff did not leave Darfur, while other sources say it concerns limiting travel within Darfur. At the EU meeting, it was said there was no access to Jebel Marra in Darfur for seven months, and that things are getting worse. That's not been the UN's message.
Ms. Amos also played down her quote that she hoped there was not fear, that kept internally displaced people in the Al Salam IDP camp from meeting with her. She said that was only a hope, that the cancellation of the meeting had to do with IDPs not agreeing who would come, and say what.
For Tuesday's Security Council meeting, it was finally said that the Sudanese foreign ministry has been invited, but might not come. The Southern Sudanese representative, the Secretary General of the SPLM, is in New York, already meeting with Council members. Thabo Mbeki may appear by video, but perhaps only in the closed door consultations. And Menkerios? And Ibrahim Gambari? [see update below.]
Inner City Press asked for the EU position on Gambari's move to turn over five sheikhs from Kalma Camp to the al Bashir government. The answer was with minors now sentenced to death, the issue is “very difficult.” How could such a turn over be consistent with humanitarian or UN principles? Watch this site.
Update of 4:30 pm, Nov 15: Inner City Press is reliably advised that Thabo Mbeki will brief the open meeting by video, and that Messrs. Gambari and Menkerios will briefing the closed door consultations, also be video. But will Sudan's Ali Karti come?
