In April 2010 the first multi-party elections since 1986 are due to be held in Sudan. International agencies, including the UN, have heralded the elections as a sign that Bashir and his NCP government are honouring their commitment to free and fair elections required by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, 2005. However, as the fourth most corrupt country in the world (according to Transparency International) nears polling day, there are major concerns over the safety of civilians, the alienation of the Darfuri people and allegations that the opposition party are colluding with the NCP, with international monitors, including the Carter Center, claiming that under current conditions the elections cannot be considered free or fair
In February 2010 three members of the Waging Peace team visited south Sudan, and during our interviews with key political figures, representatives of Sudanese civil society and observers it became apparent that many fear that the entire voting process will not meet the benchmark for free and fair elections due to:
A flawed population census in 2008-9 on which constituencies are based;
- Widespread irregularities during the voter registration process;
- Persistent violence in both Darfur and Southern Sudan;
- Belated and inadequate election preparations;
- Insufficient, inadequate and sporadic civic education;
- A police force that is insufficiently prepared to offer security to voters;
- A crackdown on opposition parties throughout Sudan, and a persisting lack of freedom of speech and assembly without which a genuinely free election campaign is impossible;
- The intimidation of voters during registration which does not auger well for polling day;
- The lack of observers deployed to polling places in insecure and volatile areas, and the ability of polling place officials to arbitrarily ban observers;
- The role local southern politicians are playing in fomenting violence for partisan and personal gain;
- The SPLM's short-sighted tactic of focusing on the 2011 southern secession referendum, while accepting the likelihood of an NCP victory in the north.
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