The Chairperson of the UN Panel on the Referenda in the Sudan said in a statement that the registration process was conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner, despite time constraints and limitations in communications and financial resources.
Benjamin Mkapa made this statement yesterday while addressing the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York.
Mr. Mkapa applauded the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission and its Bureau for overcoming the many difficulties they faced to conduct the voter registration exercise.
He added that the UN officers reporting on the ground found the process as generally transparent, with very few cases of rejections reported.
Mr. Mkapa noted that no discernable pattern of irregularities was reported.
He reiterated that both SPLM and NCP were commited to respect the outcome of the referendum.
Mr. Mkapa said leaders of both parties have also given assurances about the status of the southerners in the North and northerners in the South, that their rights and safety will be protected.