EL FASHER, Sudan Darfuris concluded voting on Wednesday in a referendum on whether to reunite the states of their arid western region, amid a boycott by rebel groups that accuse the government of rigging the vote to keep Darfur divided.The Sudanese government's decision to split Darfur into three states in 1994 helped fuel discontent that eventually erupted into fighting - rebels and many from the large Fur tribe said the break-up allowed Khartoum to weaken and rule them.Officials said turnout was high in the vote, which Sudan has presented as a major concession. Results are expected next week."According to the reports we've been getting, there has been large turnout and widespread participation from voters," Darfur referendum commission head Omar Ali Gemaa told Reuters.The Darfur conflict began in 2003 when mainly non-Arab tribes took up arms against the Arab-led government based in the capital Khartoum, accusing it of discrimination.According to the United Nations, some 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur, 4.4 million people need aid and more than 2.5 million have been displaced. Although violence has eased in recent years, the insurgency continues and Khartoum has escalated attacks on rebels over the past year. At least 130,000 people have fled fighting in the central Jebel Marra area since mid-January alone.The two main rebel groups fighting in Darfur, the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Army, have accused the government of rigging the vote in its favor, to keep Darfur split into several states.They have called on their members to boycott the referendum and have said a political settlement must come first, warning that this week's vote will only lead to more violence. Some who chose not to vote said the referendum would not address their immediate concerns."We're in need of food, water, and protection from militias...those going hungry aren't concerned with whether Darfur is a region or state," said 43-year-old Ahmed Adam, a resident of an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp.The United States this week expressed "serious concern" over "inadequate registration" in the referendum. "If held under current rules and conditions...it will undermine the peace process now under way," a U.S. State Department statement said. Others found reason to reunite Darfur into a single state."I support Darfur becoming a state and I voted for this, because the state system offers better services in terms of education and health," said 21-year-old university student Nadra al-Tahir.Analysts and diplomats say the government opposes a unified Darfur, concerned that this would give the rebels a platform to push for independence - just as the south successfully did in 2011, taking with it most of the country's oil reserves. (Additional reporting by Ola Noureldin; Writing by Eric Knecht; Editing by Dominic Evans)
Newer articles:
- South Sudan, After Independence: “Post Conflict” Famine and Despair - 14/04/2016 14:36
- Massage therapists offer relief from war in South Sudan - 14/04/2016 06:16
- 'There's no work, no money': oil-rich but desperately poor South Sudan shuts up shop - 14/04/2016 01:33
- South Sudan's long road to peace - 13/04/2016 23:55
- 'Messy' peace hope as South Sudan readies for rebel chief return - 13/04/2016 23:25
Older news items
- South Sudan Rebels Return to Juba Amid Fighting - 13/04/2016 07:22
- South Sudan rebel arrivals 'signal end of war' - 13/04/2016 02:37
- Two aid workers shot dead in South Sudan: colleagues - 13/04/2016 00:52
- Dar, Juba to sign protocol on South Sudan - 12/04/2016 22:22
- Senior S. Sudan rebel arrives in capital under peace deal - 12/04/2016 10:19
Latest news items (all categories):
- South Sudan can leverage China’s AI path to bridge the digital divide - 16/09/2026 16:04
- Credible Elections Are No Longer Possible in South Sudan - What Next? - 16/09/2026 15:59
- South Sudan's president replaces electoral chief three months before scheduled polls - 16/09/2026 15:56
- Turkish Airlines is pulling out of 5 African routes, including South Sudan - 16/09/2026 15:23
- ‘Super El Niño’ deepens hunger crisis in South Sudan – WFP - 16/09/2026 15:19
Random articles (all categories):
- Bangladesh: South Sudanese high level delegation visits Pran-RFL, Walton and Beximco manufacturing units - 12/02/2022 02:42
- Ethiopia Blasts Trump Remark That Egypt Will 'Blow Up' Dam - 25/10/2020 04:18
- 70 Vietnamese medics to go to UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan - 23/03/2021 23:10
- Sudan caretaker govt to be announced ‘end of this month’ - 18/09/2023 03:43
- South Sudan Pushes Back Against External Pressure, Insists Elections Must End Prolonged Transition - 21/08/2026 16:59
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 149616 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 28116 times
- Top 10 weakest currency exchange rates in Africa in 2023 - 19/07/2023 00:24 - Read 25198 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 24466 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 22416 times
