Carter Offers Hope for Fair Sudan Vote

Filed under: News, Politics, Race and Civil Rights

It's only an early forecast from an election observer, but the words of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on the historic vote of Sudan is offering hope that the election will be fair and violence could be minimal.

Carter, an influential observer of the week-long election, told reporters he believes the vote will meet international standards of fairness and freedom of participants in the vote.

Observers of the Sudan election have been concerned that the vote would be corrupted by Islamic government forces based in Khartoum in the northern part of the country.

The vote being held in the non-Muslim southern part of the country could result in the split of the country along northern and southern borders if a majority of voters choose separation.

The South, home to large oil reserves, is expected to vote for independence. Results are expected in early February.

A thumbs-up from Carter on the fairness of the election would carry great weight in the international community, since the former president has blasted Sudan President Omar al-Bashir as a war criminal.

In addition, the Carter Center non-profit organization has trained 3,000 local election observers.

The vote came as part of the 2005 peace deal that ended nearly 20 years of civil war between the north and the south.

A lot could go wrong between now and when the election results are certified.

Al-Bashir has shown little inclination to let the oil-rich South take its resources and start a new nation.

But if Carter is correct and the government is allowing a free and fair election to take place, the new era of peace and cooperation could finally be on the way for Sudan.

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