Having kept my thumb on the political pulse of Sudan since the days of the admirable John Garang, yes, I’m keeping an eye on the elections currently underway. My thoughts?
Well, considering that these are the first multi-party elections to happen in Sudan in nearly 24 years, I’m more surprised by how many people are complaining than how the process is going with its delays and many, many problems. I mean, sure, I would be angered if I were a citizen trying to vote and found the voting station closed or disorganized. But really, what should we expect given the circumstances in Sudan? If you’ve ever been to Sudan, you would understand why I say this.
Now whether or not I expect to be pleased with the outcome, that’s a whole other story. My hopes are not high given that Khartoum will continue to have its death-grip on that country, trying to stifle any progress or sort of human rights, and that so many major political parties have withdrawn from the elections.
by Clinton Liederman
13 Apr 2010 at 16:23
So what in your opinion is the way forward for Sudan? I’ll be attending the World Bank conference “Innovation Fair: Moving Beyond Conflict” and it will be interesting to hear the talks on some already selected projects in countries that have similar problems. You can follow on http://innovationfair.ning.com/
by Josef Scarantino
13 Apr 2010 at 16:50
Well, I definitely do not have the answers for the way forward for Sudan. But, for one, this election is a chance to learn as much as possible about the democratic process and try not to make the same mistakes in the next election. Many would even argue that this is hardly democratic given that many candidates have backed out and many of the voters are likely not prepared to make an informed decision about the election. But I am not one to get into arguments about international political science.
The political problems in Sudan are so complicated that an election alone is certainly not going to solve them. I only hope that the international community continues to support the South in their efforts. If anyone needs help and support, it’s South Sudan.