Referendum Day in South Sudan
by Tiffany Easthom, Country Director, Sudan
In the soft pink light of a Sudanese sunrise, I drive out into the streets of Juba, South Sudan’s capital, on the first day of voting for the much-anticipated referendum on southern secession. Driving slowly through our neighborhood — usually quiet so early on a Sunday morning — I immediately meet three young men hurrying to vote. Talking excitedly, they break into wide, toothy grins and wave. Voter registration cards held aloft, they give me a joyous thumbs-up. A tide of emotion surprises me, and my eyes fill with tears. Witnessing their earnest, raw enthusiasm, knowing the years it has taken Sudan to arrive at this day, I am humbled and overwhelmed with a sense of honor that will stay with me all day. Throngs of people line the streets. Amidst evidence of last night’s celebrations, men, women and children dressed in their best shout and sing, riding a tidal wave of energy toward the voting centers.
Inside the main polling center grounds, the lines finally end at voting tents. Woven among the Sudanese are international elections observers, nongovernmental organization workers and countless media personnel from around the world. Behind the tents, the festivities roar. Invited to join in the dancing, we jump up and down for as long as we can manage, much to the delight of the local dancers. Everywhere, people hug and cry. One woman bursts into tears immediately after voting, remembering the father she lost during the war. Tearing ourselves away, we drive to center after center vibrant with high-spirited excitement and observe the consistent orderliness of the voting.
The outcome of the referendum reflects the choice of the people, and regardless of the result, Sudan will have to navigate enormous challenges in the coming months. We must not lose focus on the countless vulnerabilities ordinary citizens must manage. Yet, it is worthwhile too, to pause a moment and appreciate the efforts made throughout all of Sudan that have made this referendum a reality. There is value also in creating space to celebrate the commitments made and honored by all parties to make choices through peaceful processes rather than by force.
