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8/14/2019 Abyei Referendum International Observers Press Release
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PRESS RELEASE
31/10/13
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
International observers to Abyei Area Co!nity Re"eren#! release $reliinary "in#in%s
T&e #e'laration a#e by t&e (%o) Din)a %eneral 'on"eren'e *&i'& establis&e# t&e Abyei Area
Co!nity Re"eren#! Coission invite# international observers to *itness t&e re"eren#!+Alt&o!%& "orei%n ,o!rnalists also en,oye# a &i%& level o" a''ess an# 'ivil so'iety or%anisations an#
o$$osition $oliti'al $arties in So!t& S!#an a'te# as e-ternal observers. *e *ere t&e only
international observers *&o res$on#e# to t&e invitation+
O!r observation ission be%an on t&e 1st(oveber. t&e se'on# #ay o" re%istration+ e en,oye#
a''ess to all re"eren#! 'entres #!rin% re%istration. $ollin% an# 'o!ntin% $ro'e#!res. an# *al)in
a''ess to t&e re"eren#! 'oission2s #ata 'entre at all ties+ e visite# 11 'entres 4 #!rin%
re%istration an# 4 #!rin% $ollin%. an# observe# 'o!nts "ro start to "inis&+ T&e re"eren#!
'oission an# sta"" at re"eren#! 'entres *ere e-treely 'oo$erative an# &el$"!l+ T&ey
"a'ilitate# o!r trans$ort to r!ral 'entres an# '&an%e# $lans so *e 'o!l# visit 'entres o" o!r '&oi'e
rat&er t&an t&e 'entres t&ey *ante# !s to visit+
A "!ll re$ort *ill be $!blis&e# in #!e 'o!rse+ 5o*ever. *e &ave been s!""i'iently satis"ie# *it& t&e
&i%& stan#ar#s e-&ibite# by t&e $ro'ess to #e'lare t&e "ollo*in%
T&ere *as a &i%& level o" trans$aren'y in t&e Abyei Area Co!nity Re"eren#!+ T&e re"eren#!
*as $ea'e"!l an# 're#ible+ e *o!l# li)e to 'oen# t&e Abyei Area Co!nity Re"eren#!
Coission "or a 'o$re&ensive an# t&oro!%& $ro'ess *elle-e'!te#+ e are satis"ie# t&at t&e
res!lts o" t&e Abyei Area Co!nity Re"eren#! a''!rately re$resent t&e %en!ine e-$ression o"
t&e *ill o" t&e ele'torate+
&ile t&ere *ere inor irre%!larities #erivin% "ro t&e s&ort tietable an# la') o" tie available
"or voter e#!'ation an# sta"" trainin%. t&e inte%rity an# 're#ibility o" t&e $ro'ess *as not
'o$roise#+ T&is *as an e-traor#inary a'&ieveent %iven t&e lo%isti'al '&allen%es t&e
Coission "a'e#+ e &a# soe 'on'erns abo!t assiste# votin% an# la') o" attention to se're'y by
bot& voters an# sta"" in a sall n!ber o" 'entres. b!t t&is *as t&e e-'e$tion an# not t&e nor+
&ere it #i# ta)e $la'e. *e are satis"ie# voters *ere %iven a %en!ine '&oi'e an# ani$!lation *as
not t&e intent+ Assistan'e *as %enerally %iven in res$onse to re6!ests by voters an# atte$tin% to
iti%ate t&e $robles "a'e# by illiterate an# #isable# voters+
In any res$e'ts t&e Abyei re"eren#! e-'ee#e# t&e stan#ar#s et by t&e So!t& S!#anese
re"eren#! &el# in 7an!ary 011+ For e-a$le. r!les an# re%!lations *ere $!blis&e# in a#van'e o"t&e start o" t&e $ro'ess+ Centres *ere *ellsit!ate# in areas *&ere lo'al $o$!lations *ere
'on'entrate# an# lo'al re"eren#! 'oittees &a# t&e "le-ibility to set !$ s!b'entres. res!ltin% in
e-'ellent a''ess+ Unli)e t&e So!t& S!#anese re"eren#!. in no re"eren#! 'entre #i# ballots 'ast
e-'ee# t&e n!ber o" re%istere# voters+ T&ere *as no s&orta%e o" re%istration aterials an#
$ro'e#!res "or $a')in% an# #istrib!tin% sensitive aterials *ere 'onsistently a#&ere# to+ T&ere *as
no 'on"!sion over voter eli%ibility an# noone *&o *as eli%ible to vote *as $revente# "ro
re%isterin%+ T&ere is no 'o$ellin% evi#en'e "or in'i#en'es o" !n#era%e re%istration+ T&ere *as no
are# se'!rity $resen'e insi#e any re"eren#! 'entre+ T&ere *ere no re$orts o" #ire't intii#ation+
Di""i'!lties *it& t&e 'o$ilation o" voter lists #i# not res!lt in any voter bein% t!rne# a*ay+
Observers *ere not obstr!'te# "ro a''essin% t&e #ata 'entre at any tie+
e "in# t&at t&ere are no %oo# te'&ni'al reasons to "ail to re'o%nise t&e Abyei re"eren#!+
Co!ntries an# instit!tions *&o re'o%nise# t&e res!lts o" t&e So!t& S!#anese re"eren#! o" 011 as
8/14/2019 Abyei Referendum International Observers Press Release
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a %en!ine e-$ression o" t&e *ill o" t&e ele'torate. b!t *&o "ail to #o so in t&is 'ase. *ill #o so "or
$oliti'al rat&er t&an te'&ni'al reasons+
E(DS
(otes
1+ T&e international observers are Ti Flatan. a re%!lar visitor to Abyei *or)in% vol!ntarily an#
#ire'tly *it& lo'al '&!r'&es to s!$$ort t&e #is$la'e# (%o) Din)a an# ret!rnees nort& o" t&e river
8iir. an# 5anna& Cross. &is "ian'e. *&o is visitin% Abyei "or t&e "irst tie+ Ti &as been an ele'tion
a%ent on n!ero!s o''asions in t&e U8 an# is "ailiar *it& all as$e'ts o" ele'toral $ro'e#!res+
T&ey 'an be 'onta'te# at t"latan9%ail+'oor on :;< =0>
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