David Gough of CMSI, a member of the Church of Ireland Sudan Partnership Group, attended a Sudan Post Referendum Partners meeting in Lambeth last week.
David, CMSI’s Regional Mission Partner for Sudan, has visited Southern Sudan on many occasions. He said: “It was a very constructive meeting and a follow-up to the Partners Round Table meeting I attended in Juba during November.
“The purpose of the meeting was to consider how best Partners can support the Church in Sudan in the future. Partners gathered included – Episcopal Relief & Development (USA), Anglican Alliance, Australian Board of Mission, Mothers’ Union, Christian Aid, Tear Fund, CMS Africa, CMS Britain, CMS Ireland, Lambeth Palace, Five Talents, Reconcile Consulting, Salisbury Diocese and the Sudan Church Association.”
David said that despite some conflict around Abyei, the Sudan Referendum on January 9 had passed off peacefully and credibly in Southern Sudan.
Although the official results of the Sudan Referendum will not be published until February 14, the percentages and figures as of Monday January 24 were:
98.81% (3,734,280 people) have voted SECESSION
1.19% (44,830 people) have voted for UNITY.
David said the February date allows time for any objections and challenges of the voting to be addressed.
David also listed the breakdown of the State voting percentages, which he described as ‘incredible,’ as follows:-
Central Equatoria – 99.7%
Eastern Equatoria – 98.9%
Jonglei – 98.1%
Lakes – 100%
Northern Bahr El Ghazal – 98.5%
Unity – 98.6%
Upper Nile – 98.8%
Warrap – 98.5%
Western Bahr El Ghazal – 97.5%
Western Equatoria – 98.4%
Connor Diocese has been in partnership with Yei Diocese in Southern Sudan since 2007. Two teams travelled to Yei during 2010, and Bishop Hilary has been to visit parishes in Connor during two trips to Northern Ireland.
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'Historic' moment as Sarah votes in Sudan referendum
Sudan Referendum concerns raised with Irish Government
'Amazing' experience for Connor's Yei team
Full reports on Connor team's January visit to Yei
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