Voting in northern Abyei has proceeded undisrupted throughout the community referendum, though the process was affected by logistical problems.

The polling proceeded in Alel and Menth Aguok counties without any serious security incidents, according to traditional leaders and referendum officials.

Delays affected certain areas, however, including Alel County, where the voting failed to kick off on the first day owing to poor road conditions that prevented the referendum commission from reaching the area.

The head of the Ngok Dinka chiefdoms, Sultan Belbek Deng Kuol, encouraged people of northern Abyei to vote without fear of being attacked from the Sudan government, saying there were nine polling centres located in Alel and Menth Aguok counties.

Sultan Belbek said the security of Abyei was “very encouraging” because remarkably there had been no incidents of attack by the Misseriya, the neighboring tribe to the north.

Belbek pointed to the presence of UNISFA forces in Abyei, saying “We cannot fear.”

Likewise, the head of the Abyei Administration from the Ngok Dinka side, Mario Kuol, told Radio Tamazuj that security was stable in all parts of Abyei including the northern counties.

Another tribal official declared that they were voting without fear. Deng Koor, who identified himself as the sultan of the Nyong area, said “We want to tell Misseriya that from now onward we are South Sudanese.”

In the neighboring county of Menth Aguok, the security was likewise fine, according to the sultan of the area, who preferred not to be identified by name.

Four polling centres were located in the county, in Todac, Mikol, Amneth Bek and Dungop. According to the director of the polling centre at Dungop, the county headquarters, the number of voters who turned up was 735 on the first day, and 930 on the second day, for a total of 1665 voters over two days out of 2,602 registered voters.

Owing to high turnout, there will not be an extension of the days of voting, according to Abyei Referendum Commission Chairman Monyluak Alor Kuol.

Monyluak, who described the security throughout the Abyei Area as calm since the polling started on Sunday, said that turnout in Abyei town was more than 50% on the first day alone.

Photo: A woman inks her finger after voting in a polling station located in a school in Abyei, Oct. 28, 2013 (Reuters).