There are two really interesting pieces on Sudan from the BBC today.
The first discusses how the Sudanese government has extended the election by two days after some "mix-ups" have occurred. I'm not really sure how I feel about this. On the one hand it could be a step in the right direction. It could show that perhaps, quite unexpectedly, the Sudanese government is actually interested in hearing the opinions of the Sudanese people. On the other hand, projecting that image while actually manipulating the vote could be the real goal behind the extension. Hearing reports of voting stations being moved without voters being informed, and the fact that voting in the South wasn't even able to begin until today because they had not received ballots is troubling, but I guess the best we can do from the outside is wait and see. However, as the piece notes, there are several problems with the election, even if al-Bashir and his National Congress party do win a legitimate, democratic, mandate.
The first discusses how the Sudanese government has extended the election by two days after some "mix-ups" have occurred. I'm not really sure how I feel about this. On the one hand it could be a step in the right direction. It could show that perhaps, quite unexpectedly, the Sudanese government is actually interested in hearing the opinions of the Sudanese people. On the other hand, projecting that image while actually manipulating the vote could be the real goal behind the extension. Hearing reports of voting stations being moved without voters being informed, and the fact that voting in the South wasn't even able to begin until today because they had not received ballots is troubling, but I guess the best we can do from the outside is wait and see. However, as the piece notes, there are several problems with the election, even if al-Bashir and his National Congress party do win a legitimate, democratic, mandate.
The second is a piece on the village of Mathiang Dit in South Sudan. You can hear the stories of five villagers who fled their home and returned after the 2005 peace deal. I really appreciate pieces where you get to hear the people's stories from the people themselves. It's a much different perspective than a Western reporter simply doing a story, and I think it's a perspective we in the West need to hear.
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