Vote tallying in the Darfur’s administrative referendum has begun on Thursday to determine whether the area should go back to being one region as it was until 1994 or retain the status quo states system.
Omar Ali Gemaa, head of the Darfur referendum, said in a press statement that the counting process and collection of results will continue for ten days from the starting date of the process.
Meanwhile, however, the French government expressed concern about the Sudanese referendum that aims to change the administrative status of the Darfur region.
French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Roman Nadal said in a Tuesday statement that the environment was not conducive to conduct a credible political referendum during renewed violence and massive displacement of residents.
Nadal stressed that the Sudanese crisis will not be overcome unless through an inclusive and transparent national dialogue.
Last Saturday, the US State Department also expressed “serious concern” over the Darfur referendum on the future of Darfur, stating that the vote will not be credible under current rules and conditions.
The Darfur administrative referendum is a provision of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) that was finalised at the All Darfur Stakeholders Conference held in June 2011.
Both the government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement signed a protocol agreement committing themselves to the document that is now the framework for the comprehensive peace process in Darfur.
Separately, Osman Masbal Kashib, leader of the National Liberation and Justice Party (NLJP) in East Darfur stat claimed they had observed cheating cases in the voting process in the state.
The party leader told Radio Tamazuj in an interview that he was assaulted by police and members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) when he discovered the cheating cases. Masbal added that he opened a case with the police over the incident.