2011 South Sudanese independence referendum

2011 South Sudanese independence referendum
Al Jazeera English · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	2011 South Sudanese independence referendum
Date	9–15 January 2011
Location	Southern Sudan, Sudan
Electorate	3,989,018 (registered)
Turnout	98.83% (reported)
Oui	3,792,352
Non	132,188
Result	98.83% in favor of independence
Outcome	Independence of South Sudan proclaimed 9 July 2011

2011 South Sudanese independence referendum was a pivotal plebiscite held in southern Sudan in January 2011 that offered Southern Sudanese voters a choice between remaining part of Sudan or seceding to form an independent state. The referendum followed decades of armed conflict involving the Second Sudanese Civil War, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and the Sudan People's Liberation Army, and was conducted under the framework of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (2005) negotiated between rival parties and mediated by international actors including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union, the United Nations, and the United States. The vote produced an overwhelming mandate for independence and led to the creation of South Sudan.

Background

Negotiations after the Second Sudanese Civil War culminated in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (2005), signed by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. The CPA prescribed a six-year interim period and an internationally supervised referendum on the status of Southern Sudan. Key figures and institutions involved included John Garang, Salva Kiir, Omar al-Bashir, the United Nations Security Council, the African Union Commission, and mediators such as Thabo Mbeki and Qatar. Contentious issues before the vote included boundaries of Abyei Area, the status of Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, oil revenues tied to fields in Unity and Upper Nile, and the rights of Nuba Mountains communities. Regional players such as Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Egypt monitored developments due to energy, security, and migration concerns.

Referendum Law and Administration

The legal framework derived from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (2005) and the Abyei Protocol. Administration was conducted by the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission with technical support from the Sudan Referendum Commission and international partners including the African Union, the European Union, the United Nations Mission in Sudan, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Disputes emerged over voter eligibility, particularly concerning the definition of "resident" and the status of migrant workers from Nuba Mountains, Darfur, and Eritrea. Legal questions reached regional bodies like the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and prompted involvement from jurists associated with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and observers from the Commonwealth of Nations.

Campaigns and Voter Registration

Campaigns were conducted by political formations such as the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and the National Congress Party. Civil society organizations including RRC and international NGOs like International Crisis Group and Norwegian People's Aid participated in voter education. Voter registration mobilization targeted displaced persons in Darfur, cross-border populations in Uganda and Kenya, and oil industry workers in Harper (Liberia)? — efforts complicated by population movements, disputed residency, and limited infrastructure. High-profile political leaders including Salva Kiir, Riek Machar, Ali Osman Taha, and Lina Abirafeh (and others) traveled to campaign on identity, governance, and resource control themes. Observers from the European Union Election Observation Mission, the African Union Observer Mission, and delegations led by former statesmen like Jimmy Carter monitored registration.

Voting Process and Security

Voting took place from 9 to 15 January 2011 at thousands of polling centers in Southern Sudan, contested areas, and diaspora centers coordinated with host states such as Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan. Security arrangements involved the Sudan Armed Forces, the Sudan People's Liberation Army, the United Nations Interim Security Force, and regional policing units from Intergovernmental Authority on Development partners. Incidents included clashes in Abyei Area and arrests in Khartoum, while humanitarian agencies such as United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Médecins Sans Frontières responded to displacement. Technical aspects were overseen by international election experts from organizations including the Commonwealth Secretariat and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.

Results and Declaration of Independence

The referendum produced an official tally reflecting an overwhelming vote for secession, with reported support concentrated across Southern states such as Juba, Warrap, Lakes, Unity, Bahr el Ghazal, and Upper Nile. The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission announced results that led to a timetable for implementing the CPA provisions on separation, negotiations on borders, and arrangements for oil transit and citizenship. Political leaders including Salva Kiir moved toward formal statehood, while the International Criminal Court and the United Nations Security Council remained engaged on accountability and transitional security matters.

Immediate Aftermath and Transition

Following the vote, transitional arrangements addressed demarcation, resource sharing, and civil service division. Negotiations involved delegations from Khartoum and representatives from Juba, with mediation by countries such as Qatar, United States, Norway, and regional actors including IGAD. Security concerns persisted in Abyei Area, Blue Nile, and Southern Kordofan where Sudan Armed Forces and Sudan People's Liberation Army elements clashed, prompting humanitarian responses from UNHCR and International Committee of the Red Cross. Interim institutions in the new state formed ministries, administrative organs, and national symbols inspired by figures like John Garang and policies debated with input from international development agencies such as World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

International Reaction and Recognition

The vote drew rapid diplomatic responses: regional organizations including the African Union engaged in formal recognition processes while individual states such as United States, China, United Kingdom, Norway, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda recognized the new state in accordance with international law. International institutions including the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council addressed admission and peacekeeping mandates, leading to the expansion of United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Oil-exporting neighbors and multinational energy firms such as China National Petroleum Corporation and Petronas negotiated transit arrangements and contracts. Humanitarian and human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, monitored post-referendum human rights, while development agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme and the African Development Bank planned reconstruction and institution-building support.

Category:South Sudan