With voter registration complete and less than a month before voting is set to begin, referendum preparations and negotiations for post-referendum arrangements continue in Sudan. Tensions continue to run high, with an increasing number of returnees, violence along the border, and a failure to reach an agreement on Abyei. In Darfur, renewed fighting continues to imperil civilians despite some progress at the negotiations in Doha.
Here are the key developments covered in this issue:
- Plans for the referendum proceed despite abuse and legal challenges: Sudanese and international observers hail the completion of voter registration, but abuses against returnees becomes increasingly common and new legal threats to the proceedings emerge.
- An increase in violence and still no deal on Abyei: Negotiations on other aspects of the post-referendum arrangements continue, but a deal on Abyei proves elusive. Meanwhile, aerial bombardments add to volatility around key border areas.
- Hostilities in areas of Darfur increase but small progress is seen in Doha: While insecurity prevails in the area of Khor Abeche and the signing of a peace deal is postponed, the Justice and Equality Movement agree to negotiate a ceasefire with the government.
Read the full Sudan Peace Watch here.
We’ll release a new Sudan Peace Watch once every two weeks or so and publish them on the Sudan page of our website. We’ll also post a synopsis on Enough Said on the day a new edition comes out.
To advocate for high-level U.S. attention to Sudan at this crucial moment, visit sudanactionnow.org.