From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Tue Nov 17 2009 - 07:36:30 EST
Sudan president pledges fair and free elections
Tuesday 17 November 2009 06:00.
November 16, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir
vowed today that his government will facilitate conducting the April 2010
presidential and parliamentary elections in a fair and free manner.
“We will not get closer to god through deceit and forgery” Al-Bashir told a
crowd at the Red Sea city of Port Sudan along side with his Eritrean
counterpart Isaias Afewerki.
Sudan is currently going through a voter registration process amid
accusations by opposition parties of widespread fraud but the ruling
National Congress Party (NCP) led by Bashir denied the allegations.
Some observers have pointed out that the awareness campaign on the
registration process has been poor prompting calls for extending the
registration period that ends this month.
Bashir urged the residents of Port Sudan to be diligent in registering for
voting saying it is a “certificate and an obligation”. He also said that his
visit is not for election purposes adding that his government has
prioritized the needs of the people of Eastern Sudan.
The Sudanese president inaugurated a number of projects including an
industrial complex and a bridge by his name.
He hailed the positions of Eritrea and its president noting that his first
visit after being indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) was to
Asmara.
“This was the nail in the tomb of the court [ICC]” Bashir said.
Afewerki on his end said he returns to Port Sudan 42 years after leading
from it resistance against Ethiopia to liberate Eritrea.
Bashir and Afewerki held bilateral talks after which they issued
instructions to their border provinces to bolster cooperation and speed up
linking the road between Massawa and Port Sudan.
(ST)
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----