Great need for civic education before referendum

Civil society in Yei, Southern Sudan gathers all its strength to prepare the voters for historic referendum. MS supports civic and voter education initiatives.

21 July 2010, representatives from civil society and local government discussed the needs for civic and voter education before a referendum on the future of Southern Sudan. Photo: Janne Bruvoll.

Southern Sudan's civil society organisations must work together to make sure that the voters are ready for the historic referendum in January. This was the conclusion after a meeting for civil society and local government representatives in Yei River County in Southern Sudan. 9 January 2011, the people of Southern Sudan will determine whether the region will secede or stay united with Sudan. The meeting was organised by MS Sudan.

“The referendum is a very important exercise and it is the peak of the peace process. It is important that the people make this decision from an informed point of view and civil society has an important role to play in this,” says Don Bosco Malish, programme officer for MS Sudan.

Not campaigning
During the meeting held 21 July 2010, the participants were able to express and share their worries and thoughts about the referendum and the civic education that is needed. The Southern Sudanese are expected to choose secession but during the meeting, the civil society representatives stressed that it is not their role to tell the voters how to vote.

“As civil society organisations, we must be impartial. We must inform people and help them make an informed choice. They need to know what consequences each choice will have. We should not campaign,” says Milcah Lalam, programs manager for Reconcile International.

Need a unified message
The meeting ended with the decision to call all interested civil society organisations for a new meeting to discuss joint strategies and messages for the civic education.

“It is important to work together so that we can come up with an unified message and so that we can consolidate our resources. The biggest challenge for us will be to give out accurate information,” says Milcah Lalam.

The deputy speaker for Yei River County Legislative Council Peter Juma Maru also took part in the meeting. He believes that the biggest challenge for the organisations doing civic education will be the expectations raised by the ruling party in Southern Sudan, SPLM.

“The threat posed by some SPLM representatives will be a great challenge. SPLM wants separation and some might find it difficult to understand that the people should be given a free choice and the civil society organisations must be impartial,” he says.

Deputy speaker for Yei River County Legislative Council Peter Juma Maru believes that the expectations raised by the ruling party in Southern Sudan poses the greatest threat for civic and voter education. Photo: Janne Bruvoll.