8/14/2019 Abyei Referendum International Observers Press
Release
1/2
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
