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| Africa Horn |
| S Sudan president warns of violence over vote |
| 2010-10-02 |
| [Al Arabiya] The president of Southern Sudan on Friday warned cheering crowds of a return to violence "on a massive scale" if the region's independence referendum -- now 100 days away -- is not held on time, as thousands of people rallied on the streets of the southern Sudanese capital to support the landmark referendum on independence. President Salva Kiir's return to this former war garrison town follows meetings at the U.N. last week that focused new attention on the region in the run-up to a Jan. 9 vote on independence. Kiir predicted the south's vote will pass overwhelmingly. The border region of Abyei -- where much of Sudan's oil is located -- holds a similar vote the same day, in which voters will choose whether the region will join Sudan's north or a possible new country in the south. "Delay or denial of the right of self-determination for the people of Southern Sudan and Abyei risks dangerous instability," Kiir said, according to prepared remarks. "There is without question a real risk of a return to violence on a massive scale if the referenda do not go ahead as scheduled." Tensions between north and south are high over stalled preparations for both the southern referendum and the separate vote for Abyei. The B.O. regime has labeled it "inevitable" the south will declare independence, but U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also called the issue a "ticking time bomb." Speaking before a crowd of about 1,000 people, Kiir appealed to the armies and people of Sudan to shun war, saying that he is not a coward but only those who have not been in war "still drill for it." He said the south was willing to negotiate with the north. |
| Posted by:Fred |