The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement SPLM yesterday said it would accept a northerner in a key post on the commission planning a referendum on the region’s independence because having the vote on time in January was more important.
Referendum Commission Chairman Mohamed Ibrahim Khalil told Reuters the five southerners in the nine-member commission would vote as a bloc to prevent a northerner taking the post of secretary-general, who would control the commission’s funds.
He threatened to resign if the deadlock had continued a move which would have delayed the vote from January 9. But yesterday the SPLM said it would not oppose a northerner taking the post if his deputy could be from the south.
Senior SPLM official Yasir Arman said the party was focused on holding the vote on time. Mr. Arman said the secretary-general is not the issue, having the referendum on time is the major interest of his party. The SPLM said that any delay in the vote could trigger violence among southerners.