April 12, 2008
Census no census
Sudan's ability to surprise never ceases to surprise.
In three days time, Sudan was supposed to be holding a nationwide census. It was going to be a very important census, paving the way for national elections next year, deciding how power and wealth should be shared between the north and the south and so on.
Just yesterday, the leader of South Sudan Salva Kiir put out a statement encouraging all Sudanese people to take part in the count.
Here it is:
-An honour to be counted; Salva Kiir on census-I urge every citizen, not only to be counted, but also to give correct information. It is a national honour to be counted. That is the message from the president of Southern Sudan HE Salva Kiir to his people, days before the population census starts. The message will be read in all churches in Southern Sudan.. The President assures the Sudanese that the collected data only will be used for the benefit of the population.
-This is a very important national event, especially for us here in Southern Sudan as it is the first comprehensive and all inclusive population census to be held in Southern Sudan. It is therefore critical that we do it right and in a transparent manner, the President says.
-If it is conducted well, the population census will provide us the data we urgently need, not only to plan for our socio-economic development, but also to ensure equitable allocation of resources, political representation and participation of our communities.
The President also send a message to the census officials: -I ask you to go about your duties with diligence and respect of our communities while collecting data. Let us make this census a success, so that it can produce quality and acceptable data, President Salva Kiir Mayardit says.
Pretty unequivocal wouldn't you say?
But a few hours after Kiir's statement was put out, and a day before it was supposed to be read out in churches, Kiir's own party the SPLM said it wanted to postpone the whole thing for a whole range of last minute issues - none of them new.
So what is going to happen next? How will the north react? Will the census really take place later this year? Will this delay the elections and the secession referendum? Will it threaten the fragile north-south peace deal?
Absolutely no idea.
There is only one reliable rule in covering Sudan. Anyone who claims to know what is going to happen next in Sudan clearly knows nothing about Sudan.
Posted by aheavens at April 12, 2008 6:50 PM