Going local is good for Sudan's electionsMarch 2010

In the latest controversy over Sudan’s first elections for 24 years, President Bashir questions the role of international election observers while the Carter Centre questions the readiness of Sudanese election officials. Surely the answer to both their concerns is to strengthen the ability of local people to assist and observe their own elections, on an independent basis and with a popular mandate that could be respected by all sides?

This is an approach we have tested in South Sudan, where Peace Direct has equipped local people as election educators to tour villages and cattle camps and explain how and why to vote. We have found that their local knowledge and status are widely respected and, instead of being dismissed as either ‘foreign’ or ‘official’, they command a neutral status which is indeed democratic. This is an approach that could be extended to election observers in this and other troubled nations, if the international system could recognise the many advantages of going local.

Carolyn Hayman,
Chief Executive, Peace Direct

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