PRESS RELEASE 31/10/13 FOR IMMEDIATE USE International observers to Abyei Area Co

!nity Re"eren#!

release $reli inary "in#in%s

T&e #e'laration a#e by t&e (%o) Din)a %eneral 'on"eren'e *&i'& establis&e# t&e Abyei Area Co !nity Re"eren#! Co ission invite# international observers to *itness t&e re"eren#! + Alt&o!%& "orei%n ,o!rnalists also en,oye# a &i%& level o" a''ess an# 'ivil so'iety or%anisations an# o$$osition $oliti'al $arties in So!t& S!#an a'te# as e-ternal observers. *e *ere t&e only international observers *&o res$on#e# to t&e invitation+ O!r observation ission be%an on t&e /1st (ove ber. t&e se'on# #ay o" re%istration+ 0e en,oye# a''ess to all re"eren#! 'entres #!rin% re%istration. $ollin% an# 'o!ntin% $ro'e#!res. an# *al)1in a''ess to t&e re"eren#! 'o ission2s #ata 'entre at all ti es+ 0e visite# 11 'entres3 4 #!rin% re%istration an# 4 #!rin% $ollin%. an# observe# / 'o!nts "ro start to "inis&+ T&e re"eren#! 'o ission an# sta"" at re"eren#! 'entres *ere e-tre ely 'o1o$erative an# &el$"!l+ T&ey "a'ilitate# o!r trans$ort to r!ral 'entres an# '&an%e# $lans so *e 'o!l# visit 'entres o" o!r '&oi'e rat&er t&an t&e 'entres t&ey *ante# !s to visit+ A "!ll re$ort *ill be $!blis&e# in #!e 'o!rse+ 5o*ever. *e &ave been s!""i'iently satis"ie# *it& t&e &i%& stan#ar#s e-&ibite# by t&e $ro'ess to #e'lare t&e "ollo*in%3 T&ere *as a &i%& level o" trans$aren'y in t&e Abyei Area Co !nity Re"eren#! + T&e re"eren#! *as $ea'e"!l an# 're#ible+ 0e *o!l# li)e to 'o en# t&e Abyei Area Co !nity Re"eren#! Co ission "or a 'o $re&ensive an# t&oro!%& $ro'ess *ell1e-e'!te#+ 0e are satis"ie# t&at t&e res!lts o" t&e Abyei Area Co !nity Re"eren#! a''!rately re$resent t&e %en!ine e-$ression o" t&e *ill o" t&e ele'torate+ 0&ile t&ere *ere inor irre%!larities #erivin% "ro t&e s&ort ti etable an# la') o" ti e available "or voter e#!'ation an# sta"" trainin%. t&e inte%rity an# 're#ibility o" t&e $ro'ess *as not 'o $ro ise#+ T&is *as an e-traor#inary a'&ieve ent %iven t&e lo%isti'al '&allen%es t&e Co ission "a'e#+ 0e &a# so e 'on'erns abo!t assiste# votin% an# la') o" attention to se're'y by bot& voters an# sta"" in a s all n! ber o" 'entres. b!t t&is *as t&e e-'e$tion an# not t&e nor + 0&ere it #i# ta)e $la'e. *e are satis"ie# voters *ere %iven a %en!ine '&oi'e an# ani$!lation *as not t&e intent+ Assistan'e *as %enerally %iven in res$onse to re6!ests by voters an# atte $tin% to iti%ate t&e $roble s "a'e# by illiterate an# #isable# voters+ In any res$e'ts t&e Abyei re"eren#! e-'ee#e# t&e stan#ar#s et by t&e So!t& S!#anese re"eren#! &el# in 7an!ary /011+ For e-a $le. r!les an# re%!lations *ere $!blis&e# in a#van'e o" t&e start o" t&e $ro'ess+ Centres *ere *ell1sit!ate# in areas *&ere lo'al $o$!lations *ere 'on'entrate# an# lo'al re"eren#! 'o ittees &a# t&e "le-ibility to set !$ s!b1'entres. res!ltin% in e-'ellent a''ess+ Unli)e t&e So!t& S!#anese re"eren#! . in no re"eren#! 'entre #i# ballots 'ast e-'ee# t&e n! ber o" re%istere# voters+ T&ere *as no s&orta%e o" re%istration aterials an# $ro'e#!res "or $a')in% an# #istrib!tin% sensitive aterials *ere 'onsistently a#&ere# to+ T&ere *as no 'on"!sion over voter eli%ibility an# no1one *&o *as eli%ible to vote *as $revente# "ro re%isterin%+ T&ere is no 'o $ellin% evi#en'e "or in'i#en'es o" !n#er1a%e re%istration+ T&ere *as no ar e# se'!rity $resen'e insi#e any re"eren#! 'entre+ T&ere *ere no re$orts o" #ire't inti i#ation+ Di""i'!lties *it& t&e 'o $ilation o" voter lists #i# not res!lt in any voter bein% t!rne# a*ay+ Observers *ere not obstr!'te# "ro a''essin% t&e #ata 'entre at any ti e+ 0e "in# t&at t&ere are no %oo# te'&ni'al reasons to "ail to re'o%nise t&e Abyei re"eren#! + Co!ntries an# instit!tions *&o re'o%nise# t&e res!lts o" t&e So!t& S!#anese re"eren#! o" /011 as

a %en!ine e-$ression o" t&e *ill o" t&e ele'torate. b!t *&o "ail to #o so in t&is 'ase. *ill #o so "or $oliti'al rat&er t&an te'&ni'al reasons+ E(DS (otes3 1+ T&e international observers are Ti Flat an. a re%!lar visitor to Abyei *or)in% vol!ntarily an# #ire'tly *it& lo'al '&!r'&es to s!$$ort t&e #is$la'e# (%o) Din)a an# ret!rnees nort& o" t&e river 8iir. an# 5anna& Cross. &is "ian'e. *&o is visitin% Abyei "or t&e "irst ti e+ Ti &as been an ele'tion a%ent on n! ero!s o''asions in t&e U8 an# is "a iliar *it& all as$e'ts o" ele'toral $ro'e#!res+ T&ey 'an be 'onta'te# at t"lat an9% ail+'o or on :/;< =0> <01?030@3