VZCZCXRO5771
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1323/01 3271214
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231214Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4779
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001323 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KPKO SU
SUBJECT: VOTER REGISTRATION LAGS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 1281 B) KHARTOUM 1165 C) KHARTOUM 1262 
 
¶1. (SBU) Voter registration in Southern Sudan continues to move 
slowly and to be hampered by organizational, funding and logistical 
challenges.  Percentages of registered voters in the south lag far 
behind the overall totals of registered voters in other parts of 
Sudan.  Lack of clear policies, guidance, and resources prevails at 
all levels, but primarily between the National Election Commission 
(NEC) and the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) and State Election 
High Committees (SEHCs).  The GOSS and Sudan People's Liberation 
Movement (SPLM) have voiced concerns over the process and the need 
for an extended additional time for registration period in Juba, at 
the National Elections Committee (NEC) Policy Committee meeting, and 
at the South Sudan Opposition Conference in Khartoum.  End Summary. 
 
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LOW TURNOUT PLAGUES SOUTHERN SUDAN 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Low voter registration turnout plagues Southern Sudan. 
According to NEC registration statistics from November 17, less than 
seventeen percent of eligible voters in Southern Sudan have 
registered, compared with thirty-four percent in the North. 
International observers from the Carter Center and UNMIS report 
seeing no more than five voters at a station in a given day in some 
areas.  On November 17, UNMIS reported that there has been a 
significant increase in the number of registrations since November 
11, which began the GOSS's week-long registration drive.  Jerome 
Leyraud, International Federation of Election Supervisors (IFES) 
Country Director attributes low voter turn-out to a lack of 
information about the election process and voter registration in the 
South as well as a lack of "motivational messaging" from the 
government and political parties.  Mobile registration sites have 
also made it difficult for State High Committees to pinpoint 
registration sites in advance, thereby complicating the task of 
providing up-to-date schedules to the public. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
OBSTACLES HINDERING REGISTRATION IN THE SOUTH 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) There are a number of reasons for low voter turn- out in 
the South.  First, many of the registration centers opened late due 
to logistical challenges and delays in training registration staff. 
This was particularly acute in the South.  Ray Kennedy, UNMIS Chief 
Electoral Affairs Officer, told poloff that logistics also hindered 
election preparation, and some registration centers opened late, 
particularly in Western Equatoria.  Deputy Secretary General for the 
SPLM Anne Itto explained other causes for the current low voter 
turn-out.  Itto was specifically concerned about logistics, funding 
and communications restraints.  USAID funded the voter registration 
materials, and UNMIS was to have transported material to the states. 
 While UNMIS provided some support in getting registration materials 
out to state capitals, some states have had difficulties 
distributing materials internally due to the lack of logists and 
funding. Itto said that she was informed on November 17 that both 
Yei and Wau were running out of registration materials and there 
were problems in getting more to them.  Itto said that three of the 
six registration centers in Yei had closed due to these shortages. 
Itto told poloff that the State Election High Committees (SEHC) have 
only received twenty percent of the funding promised to them from 
the NEC.  In recent meetings in Rumbek and Malakal, state governors 
and other officials were troubled by the failure of the SEHCs to 
engage and coordinate with local governments in facilitating 
registration. 
 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
GOSS CONCERNS FALL ON DEAF EARS IN THE NORTH 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) During a NEC Policy Committee Meeting on November 12, 
officials from the GOSS Ministry of Regional Cooperation raised 
concerns about voter registration in the South with the NEC Deputy 
Chairman, Professor Abdulla Abdulla.  The Southerners stated: "Voter 
registration has been very poorly done in the South.  Information 
been inadequately distributed and there is an urgent need for an 
information campaign".  The officials noted concern about the lack 
of responsibility and funding for the Southern Sudan High Election 
Committee (SSEHC), and pleaded with the NEC to facilitate the SSEHC 
to act as coordinator in the South.  Abdulla objected and reiterated 
that the NEC does not see an SSEHC role in registration and 
therefore would not fund it. (Note: The Electoral Law does not 
provide a clear mandate for the SSEHC vis-a-vis the SEHCs.  The NEC 
provides direct guidance to the SEHCs. End note.)  Abdulla dismissed 
GOSS concerns about political space issues and countered, "We need 
 
KHARTOUM 00001323  002 OF 002 
 
 
to be clear what are facts and what are rumors." 
 
------------------------------------ 
GOSS ASKS FOR REGISTRATION EXTENSION 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to Minister Oyai Deng Ajak, GOSS Minister of 
Regional Cooperation, Southern President Salva Kiir met Abel Alier, 
Chairman of the NEC, on November 13 to discuss GOSS "unhappiness" 
with the election process to date, including instances of 
"malpractice."  According to Oyai, Alier agreed to be more 
consultative and to work with GOSS and the SSEHC as opposed to 
directly with the SEHCs.  Oyai claimed that Kiir requested a one 
month extension in the registration process, which Alier said the 
NEC would consider. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
SOUTHERN OPPOSITION BLAMES SPLM FOR INSECURITY 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶6. (SBU) Southern opposition parties and the National Congress Party 
held a "Southern Sudan Political Parties: South-South Dialogue" 
conference in Khartoum from November 14 through November 16. (This 
conference was dominated by anti-SPLM rhetoric, and it is widely 
accepted that the NCP funded the event.)  Parties with significant 
constituencies in the South, including the United Democratic Party 
(UDP), United Sudan African Party (USAP), Sudanese People's 
Liberation Movement- Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), the Southern Sudan 
Democratic Front (SSDF) and Sudan African National Union (SANU) 
participated.  All parties commented on a lack of education about 
voter registration and on requisite low voter turnout.  The Southern 
parties blamed the GOSS for its inability to maintain security.  Lam 
Akol, Chairman of the SPLM-DC, stated, "Security has almost broken 
down as inter- and intra-tribal fights engulf most of the States of 
Southern Sudan, from Warrap, through Jonglei to Upper Nile...." (ref 
c). The Southern Political Parties collectively expressed their 
general dissatisfaction with the election process. 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: Despite Abel Alier's offer to consider extension 
of the registration period in Southern Sudan, the NEC remains 
predominantly focused on elections in the North.  Election experts 
stated than an extension of the registration period alone will not 
solve the problem.   Additional education campaigns, assistance to 
SEHCs, and logistics planning will be necessary to ramp up the 
turn-out in the South. 
 
 
WHITEHEAD