Authorities in Northern Sudan are illegally registering Southerners for the upcoming referendum on self-determination for Southern Sudan.
The alert comes from John Ashworth, who acts as adviser to the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCCB).Mr. Ashworth told SCR News that there are very concrete reports of some sort of registration for the referendum in north Sudan during the last month.
Mr. Ashworth said people were suspicious about the registration activities in the north.
He added that those who refused to give their names were harassed.
Mr. Ashworth urged the authorities to be transparent and clarify the suspicions around the taking of names of southerners living in the north.
He made these statements in Rumbek while attending the SCBC Plenary.