Overview and Analysis of the Progress in the North

Justice Africa has carried out component one of this project, by providing a forum for all the recognized Sudanese civil society organisations to dialogue with each other and other parties. This forum has given organisations an opportunity to coordinate and promote their agendas and engage with the political parties to formulate a common and encompassing agenda in the run up to the April 2010 General Election and the 2011 referendum for self-determination for South Sudan.

Within this forum, Justice Africa has organised a number of meetings and debates to discuss and bring to light the key issues of concern for Sudanese people, whilst also informing the Sudanese public of the election programmes of all the political parties taking part in the April 2010 elections. The discussions were also an opportunity to open up public debates on some of the issues which in the past have been considered taboo subjects, such as religion and state, Sudanese identity, devolution and Sudan post 2011.

In addition to these debates and meetings, Justice Africa worked with civil society and political parties in Sudan to support them in the run up to the 2010 elections. Justice Africa was constrained by the political situation in being able to carry out our activities fully. However, in order to work constructively in this situation, we focussed on supporting the political parties in the run up to the election before their withdrawal and boycott, to develop their political manifestos and to hold a series of debates with civil society on issues of concern to the general public. We also conducted a programme of support to Sudanese citizens through the election, by sharing as much information as widely as possible about the voting process and holding training and awareness raising workshops for election observers and Sudanese citizens. Please click here for the full report on Sudan-Sudan Dialogue in the North in 2010.

Regional and National Dialogue on the Question of Referendum in Southern Sudan 2010

The CPA signed in 2005 brought to an end years of civil war between the North and the South, setting up a transition period leading to a referendum scheduled for 2011 in which southerners would have the right to vote for unity or secession.

The aim of the Sudan-Sudan Dialogue project has thus been to contribute to a peaceful referendum process in South Sudan and a stable post-referendum period in Sudan and the region. Justice Africa believes that Sudan’s transition to a peaceful and democratic society is only possible through the promotion, engagement and support of Sudanese civil society.

The aims of the project were to:

-Better empower Southern Sudanese citizens to take into consideration the many implications of unity/secession and make informed choices at the time of the referendum.

- Allow for a spectrum of Sudanese stakeholders to be better prepared for the possible outcomes of the exercise in self-determination.

- Help support the Government of Sudan, the Government of Southern Sudan and other Sudanese stakeholders to work towards putting in place the necessary measures to achieve a peaceful referendum and stable post-referendum period.

- Support regional actors to work towards implementing the necessary processes and mechanisms to support stability in the region in view of the referendum.

Since little work had been done on the implications of the Southern Sudanese exercise of the right of self-determination, the Sudan-Sudan Dialogue’s purpose was to instigate series of public dialogue events, bringing together different groups of people –from women’s groups, to political parties and businesses- all stakeholders of the future of the country.

Such events included:

- A series of town-hall style public meetings around the country, in which stakeholders consider the question of unity and secession, and members of the public have the opportunity to ask questions to lead participants;

- A series of lectures and seminars in South Sudan (conducted in partnership with CODESRIA);

- A study of the implications of self-determination for Africa, including the neighbouring countries and the African Union;

- An international conference on experiences of self-determination and state partition, and their relevance to the case of Sudan (conducted in partnership with International IDEA);

The anticipated outcome was that a spectrum of Sudanese stakeholders would be better informed and prepared for the possible outcomes of the exercise in self-determination, and better empowered to participate in national dialogue on the issue.

The project was jointly conceived by Inter Africa Group (Addis Ababa) and Justice Africa (Juba and London). Please click here for the full report on Sudan-Sudan Dialogue in 2010.