South Sudan scrambles for voters

Organisers of S Sudan referendum battle to get as many voters as possible to give credibility to the vote.

Sudan pkg

The election commission in south Sudan says the crucial vote for independence will go ahead on January 9th, despite calls for an extension.
 
With only five weeks to go, organisers are scrambling to register as many voters as possible to give credibility to the vote.

According to Southern ruling party SPLM, more than three million people had registered in the south by December 3rd, and seventy-six thousand in the north. Roughly three quarters of eligible voters.|

But to get there, the government of the south declared a four day holiday, and extended registrations by a week, to December 8th.

The number of people registering to take part in this referendum is crucial to the credibility of the process in southern Sudan.

If not enough people register and a decision to separate is taken by a minority, this could fuel the critics who argue the process has not been representative.
 
Al Jazeeras Anita McNaught reports from Juba, Sudan.

Source: Al Jazeera