Carter: N.Sudan must peacefully accept (the south's secession) vote / Thousands flock to south Sudan

[Turborama]

Source: AFP

Former US president Jimmy Carter on Thursday urged north Sudan to accept peacefully the results of the upcoming referendum on southern independence regardless of its outcome.

He also told reporters on arrival in Khartoum he believed the deadlocked negotiations over Sudan's disputed Abyei border region would be resolved.

In his message, Carter said: "Just accept the decision of the southerners in the referendum peacefully, no matter whether it is to stay part of Sudan or to form a new nation."

The US statesman heads the Carter Centre, one of the main international bodies charged with monitoring the vote that begins on Sunday. Carter added that, after the vote, the two sides must devote their energies "full time" to resolving the Abyei question and the other contested areas of Sudan's north-south border.

Read more: http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidANA20110106T193800ZLMU99

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Thousands flock to south Sudan

The UN says an estimated 2,000 people are arriving every day from the country's north for Sunday's referendum.

Last Modified: Jan 07 2011 05:30 GMT

An official with the United Nations has said that 143,000 southerners have arrived in south Sudan since the end of October 2010 for Sunday's referendum, which could result in the country's partition.

David Gressly, the UN regional co-ordinator for Southern Sudan, said on Thursday that thousands more are arriving into southern states daily.

"An estimated 143,000 southerners have left northern Sudan since the end of October, and more are continuing to arrive in the country's southern states at a rate of about 2,000 people per day," he said.

"About two-thirds of the returnees are believed to have reached their hometowns and villages. But many remain stuck in the capital cities of their native states in the south without any means of transport to reach their home towns and villages, and UN humanitarian agencies are working with the government of Southern Sudan to support their return."

More (including video report): http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/01/20111744437687148.html

[marshall]

1. I wonder how he would have handled the Civil War...

He could have saved a lot of lives.

[karynnj]

2. Not to mention - the remaining US would likely have been a whole lot

more progressive - and the Confederate states would not have had the power of the full United States.

[No Elephants]

8. Sudan does not have our history or our Constitution, both of which informed

the thinking of attorney Pres. Lincoln. Sudan is another matter entirely.

ETA: And hindsight is 20/20.

[karynnj]

3. Senator Kerry has been there since Tuesday as Obama's unofficial representative

as he was this fall. At that time there was doubt whether the referendum would occur and proposals Kerry brought from Obama were part of what allowed things to reach this point. (Many African nations also were working to make it happen.)

Kerry's trip:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x584081

It is fantastic that Carter is here to head one the groups monitoring the referendum. It is great that Carter, Kerry, and Clooney are all there to - in different ways - be forces trying to push against the potential of renewed war - along with Obama's special envoy, Gration.

[karynnj]

4. More Carter Center details: Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General is working with Carter to head

the efforts of the Carter Center.

Jimmy Carter, the ex-American president and Koffi Annan, former UN Secretary General are due to lead the Cater Center's international observation delegation set for the 9 January self-determination referendum in southern Sudan.

Also included in the team to guide the delegation are Joseph Warioba, the former Tanzania Prime Minister and John Hardman, who doubles as the Carter Center president and its CEO.

The Carter Center, Sudan Tribune has verified, intends to deploy more than 100 observers to voting locations across Sudan and overseas to assess the referendum process and observe polling, counting, and tabulation.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201101040092.html

Annan was the first Secretary General chosen from the UN staff and I think the first from Africa. His background is explained here - http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/kofi-annan-53.php

[Turborama]

5. Thank you for the updates and the information about Senator Kerry's involvement

:hi:

[karynnj]

6. Kerry speaks of the incentives the US is offering

Some improvement will come if the referendum happens and the results are accepted - then they need to fix the situation in Darfur for further improvement.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry says Khartoum will win quick U.S. incentives if an independence referendum in the south goes smoothly, but further improvement of ties depends on progress toward peace in the separate conflict in Darfur

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/kerry-darfur-integral-to-798035.html

(this is just 4 paragraphs long, so I was not sure what I could quote.)

[karynnj]

7. Another article about Carter - Roslyn is with him in Sudan

They are incredible couple. http://english.aljazeera.net/photo_galleries/africa/201117122414364727.html