damanga opposes census in sudan

April 25, 2008

        The Sudanese government is planning to conduct a census, agreed upon in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement from 2005. However, given the conflict in Darfur, a census seems trivial and the results will be incomplete at best. For example, many from South Sudan have not yet returned to their homes since the north-south conflict ended in 2005. Additionally, the crisis in Darfur has caused the displacement of millions of people, whom also are unable to return. In this sense, the population will be underrepresented in both the West and the South, therefore allowing the North more representation in the government.

The Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy opposes this census because it will not accurately represent the Darfuri population, therefore overlooking Darfuri interests in the government. Additionally, the first census in Sudan took place in 1993 which is the same year that the genocide in Darfur began. As a result, the conflict that has waged for the past fifteen years has left about half a million people dead and has caused millions to flee the country. Since the genocide began in 1993, the Government of Sudan has been recruiting Arabs from both African and Arab countries to resettle within Darfur. The objective is to issue these Arabs National ID cards and citizenship, therefore allowing them to become constituents eligible to vote. Damanga desires international intervention to end the conflict and help refugees and internally displaced persons return to their land. Only after a peace agreement that addresses the illegal settlement of Arabs, and a resettlement by Darfuri natives can an accurate census take place in Sudan.