SUDAN / NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION
TRT: 2:33
SOURCE: UNMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS
DATELINE: 08 APRIL 2009, KHARTOUM, SUDAN
SHOTLIST:
1. Wide shot, exterior, National Elections Commission offices in Sudan
2. Med shot, sign showing the National Elections Commission
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson, National Elections Commission, Professor Abdullah Ahamed Abdalla:
“It is historic because it paves the way for the Sudan for the transition to democracy and real democracy – the tool for real democracy is elections. So this is a situation emanating from the CPA (Comprehensive Peace Agreement) providing an opportunity for the people of Sudan at the end of the fourth year after the CPA to exercise their right in elections for the coming governance.”
4. Cutaway,
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson, National Elections Commission, Professor Abdalla Ahamed Abdalla:
“It must be fair and free and correct – and second – it is measured by the level of participation by people in this election – so in preparing these elections, the National Elections Commission takes this very seriously.”
6. Wide shot, Deputy Chairman of the National Elections Commission
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson, National Elections Commission, Professor Abdalla Ahamed Abdalla:
“If there is a certain problem in a certain area that will prohibit a certain process – a certain part of the process of the elections, then the national committee can look into that and can decide about what is needed to do to the extent of postponing that particular problem - not all the elections.”
8. Med shot, Chairperson of the National Elections Commission, Abel Alier
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Chairperson of the National Elections Commission, Abel Alier:
“We know in the game, there will be losers and there will be gainers – and one of the rules of the game is to take it well – take it in a sports-man-like spirit. Accept the defeat if you are defeated and promise to win next time. And greet your opponent and wish him well.”
10. Med shot, sign showing name of the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission, Abel Alier
STORYLINE:
Sudan's National Elections Commission (NEC) has announced a time frame for an election which was initially expected to happen in July 2009. The proposed time frame indicates that polling will now happen for 16 days in February 2010.
Speaking in an interview nearly a week after the announcement, top officials within the independent NEC based in Khartoum said the elections would pave way for democracy and winners and losers should take it in stride.
SOUNDBITE (English) Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson, National Elections Commission, Professor Abdalla Ahamed Abdalla:
“It is historic because it paves the way for the Sudan for the transition to democracy and real democracy – the tool for real democracy is elections. So this is a situation emanating from the CPA (Comprehensive Peace Agreement) providing an opportunity for the people of Sudan at the end of the fourth year after the CPA to exercise their right in elections for the coming governance.”
Voters will be asked to cast ballots in six elections for the presidency of Sudan, the presidency of Southern Sudan, the national assembly, the Southern Sudan legislative assembly and governors and legislative assemblies in all of the country's 25 states. The final results will be announced on February 27.
SOUNDBITE (English) Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson, National Elections Commission, Professor Abdalla Ahamed Abdalla:
“It must be fair and free and correct – and second – it is measured by the level of participation by people in this elections – so in preparing these elections, the National Elections Commission takes this very seriously.”
Sudan's NEC was sworn in last year on November 25th, ushering in a much needed election with the hope that it will be conducted in a free and fair manner.
The commission says that it will freely allow elections observers at different stages of the process.
Speaking in reference to problems in Sudan’s vast Darfur region which has been plagued by conflict in which over 200,000 people have died and thousands others displaced, the Deputy Chairman said the NEC was at liberty to make decisions.
SOUNDBITE (English) Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson, National Elections Commission, Professor Abdalla Ahamed Abdalla:
“If there is a certain problem in a certain area that will prohibit a certain process – a certain part of the process of the elections, then the national committee can look into that and can decide about what is needed to do to the extent of postponing that particular problem - not all the elections.”
The chairman of the Commission had some advice for those expecting to participate in the elections:
SOUNDBITE (English) Chairperson of the National Elections Commission, Abel Alier
“We know in the game, there will be losers and there will be gainers – and one of the rules of the game is to take it well – take it in a sports-man-like spirit. Accept the defeat if you are defeated and promise to win next time. And greet your opponent and wish him well.”
The National Elections Commission (NEC) is an independent body responsible for organizing and conducting the elections, which represent an important cornerstone of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
It is expected that there will be many first-time voters, in a national election which will see the participation of both the north and the south.
The electoral law was adopted by the National Assembly on 7 July, and ratified by Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir on 14 July.
Observers say that the electoral process will be one of the most important, delicate and sensitive political developments for Sudan, whose current president came into power through a military coup in 1989.
http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/unifeed/d/12661.html
