Referendum Registration Materials Land In Juba

The Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau (SSRB) has received the referendum registration materials in readiness for the commencement of the exercise on November 15, 2010.

The materials were handed over to the SSRB on Friday in Juba by the United Nations Integrated Referendum and Electoral Division (UNIRED) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

The consignment handed over to the SSRB head Justice Chan Reec Madut included 3,160 registration kits, 29,106 voter registration books and other registration support materials including 5,918 banners, 2,659 tarpaulins and 2,700 ropes.

Each registration book holds 200 voter registration cards that bring the total to 5.87 million individual voter registration cards.

The UNIRED Project Manager Azhae Malik told journalists that the voter registration books were procured by the IFES with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) while the registration kits and registration support materials were procured by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through the Support to Southern Sudan Referendum Basket Fund.

He said the funding of the SSSR project is being contributed by the Netherlands, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, European Union, Sweden, Denmark, France and Australia to the tune of US$ 58 million.

He revealed that civic and voter education materials for the referendum process are expected in the country next week.

Malik added that plans are in place for the immediate dispatch of the materials in to the various states.

Between October 26 and 28, NIRED through the support of the UNDP Basket Fund trained the state referendum staffs and targets 8,000 registration staffs.

USAID Deputy Mission Director and Principal Officer Susan Fine reiterated further commitment to execute the South Sudan referendum on time by delivering necessary support to the Bureau/Commission.

“I want to reiterate of course that the US government is fully committed to see that the exercise is held on time”, she said.

She explained that the registration materials had been procured in South Africa, adding that they contain features that are difficult to forge.

SSRB head Justice Madut said the presence of the registration materials is the clarity that the referendum will inevitably take place.

He, on behalf of the people of South Sudan extended gratitude to the partners who are supporting the process.

“We are very grateful to all our partners. Without your support as our international funders, we would not know where we are now”, he said.