Sudan accepts south secession vote

[nivi]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/31/us-sudan-referendum-acceptance-idUSTRE70U5PY20110131

Reuters) - Sudan's vice president said on Monday he accepted the oil-producing south's split after the first official results showed a 99 percent vote for independence in a referendum hoping to end a bitter cycle of civil war.

The January 9 vote culminated a 2005 north-south peace deal, which aims to put an end to the conflict which claimed 2 million lives and destabilized much of east Africa. The south will likely celebrate independence on July 9.

"We announce our agreement and our acceptance of the result of the referendum announced yesterday," Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha told reporters in the north's first reaction since the results.

"We wish our brothers in the south good luck and a fruitful future in organizing the issues surrounding the new country."

The comments end speculation that hard-line elements in the Khartoum government would delay recognition of the referendum to garner leverage ahead of talks on how to divide the country's assets and liabilities.

Taha negotiated the 2005 accord with southern rebel leader John Garang who died three weeks after taking office in the coalition government formed under the deal.

The south is now looking to the international community to recognize its independence, which will likely happen once the final results are confirmed next month.

"We expect this outcome to be confirmed by members of the international community," South Sudan's President Salva Kiir said at an African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

"We have no interest in returning to the bitterness and divisions of the past. We desire the democratic transformation of Sudan. Today the ballot box has triumphed over the bullet."

Observers have urged the north and south to resolve outstanding disputes over the border -- along which much of the country's oil wealth lies -- and the status of the central Abyei region claimed by both.

Both Taha and Kiir said Monday they were ready to engage. "Resolution of all outstanding issues is essential to maintaining stability and progress throughout Sudan and the region," Kiir said, offering reassurances to northern nomads that they will maintain grazing rights in the south post- secession.

Sudan's civil war was fueled by differences over oil, ethnicity, religion and ideology.

This has been quite a month in Africa.
Discuss.

 

[chad187]

dammnnn 99 percent :O

 

[ZeletDude]

With the quite original name of "The Republic of South Sudan"

 

[schlaufuchs]

Holy cow! I did not expect things to go that smoothly!

 

[warpus]

With the quite original name of "The Republic of South Sudan"

Is that seriously the new name?

 

[Formaldehyde]

I wonder if this means that secessions will now break out in other countries where the population of one region strongly disagrees with the other.

 

[ZeletDude]

Yeah seriously..
They could've used the other ones mentioned at least.

On January 23, 2011, members of a steering committee on post-independence governing, told reporters that upon independence the land would be named the Republic of South Sudan, "out of familiarity and convenience." Other names that had been considered were "Azania, Nile Republic, Kush Republic and even Juwama, a portmanteau for Juba, Wau and Malakal, three major cities.

(From Wikipedia)

 

[warpus]

Man, if I was the leader of the north I'd refuse to let them secede unless they came up with a better name.

 

[The_Tyrant]

Nile Republic would be a much better name. Well, at least they didn't go with Kush Republic. We all know Sudan has drug problems, but do they really need to brag?

 

[RebelYeller]

I wonder if this means that secessions will now break out in other countries where the population of one region strongly disagrees with the other.

I'm workin on it.

 

[GamezRule]

Kush Republic sounds nice.

 

[Mad Man]

Good for them, i'm always happy to see separatism succeed in the face of imperialism.

I'm workin on it.

Viva la Florida!!!!

 

[Tani Coyote]

Well. Guess we'll have yet another country in the world soon.

At least they'll have great economic potential due to all the oil revenues...

...But I find it funny the gov't will just allow 80% of the oil sources to pack up and leave...