Closure of UNMIS

UNMIS wound up its operations on 9 July 2011 with the completion of the interim period agreed on by the Government of Sudan and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed on 9 January 2005.

The mission ended its six years of mandated operations the same day South Sudan declared independence, following a CPA-provided referendum on 9 January 2011 that voted overwhelmingly in favour of secession.

In support of the new nation, the Security Council established a successor mission to UNMIS – the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) – on 9 July for an initial period of one year, with the intention to renew for further periods as required.

Rural communities need voter education

29 Sep 2009

Rural communities need voter education

A five-person assessment team of officials of the Central Equatoria State High Committee (CESHC) and UNMIS staff members visited a number of proposed voter registration and polling centre sites in various locales during a seven-day period ending on 25 September.

Team members encountered widespread interest in the voter registration process that is scheduled to get underway on November 1, but they also detected low levels of understanding in some rural communities about the upcoming national elections that will take place in April 2010.

"We need to mobilize a big force in our communities to educate the local population on the preparations for and conduct of elections," said CESHC member Alphayo Phillip.

The assessment team also heard concerns from some citizens that possession of a national identity card might be required before they would be included on the voters' roll.

"The Government of Southern Sudan should design a mechanism to dispatch the identity cards to the various counties so that those of us without them can acquire them before the elections," said Joseph Lasu, paramount chief in the Morobo County payam of Panyume.

The high committee's returning officer for elections Hezekiah Jonathan sought to allay those anxieties by advising citizens that prospective voters who do not possess an official identity document would still be registered in their respective bomas with the consent of their traditional chiefs.

Mr. Phillip said the assessment team was unable to visit the Yei County payam of Tore owing to poor road conditions and lingering fears among the local population about possible attacks by rebels belonging to the Lord's Resistance Army.

The CESHC hopes to establish at least one voter registration and polling centre in each of the state's bomas to maximize the number of citizens wishing to cast ballots in the country's first national, multi-party election in 24 years.

To that end, the high committee will work closely with traditional chiefs to identify trainees who can assist with voter education programmes and are fluent in the local language of a particular boma or payam.

About 50 voter education trainees have been recruited across Central Equatoria State to date, said Mr. Phillip, and there are plans to stage election simulation exercises to familiarize citizens with ballot boxes and voting procedures.