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51-492: The region is host to around forty different ethnic groups. Its economic activity is based on agriculture and livestock and increasing mineral exploitation. In 2011, residents of Blue Nile were scheduled to hold ill-defined "popular consultations" to determine the constitutional future of the state, per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement . Instead, a dispute over the rightful government of the state, and

102-546: A "troika" of donor countries comprising the United States , United Kingdom , and Norway . The process resulted in the following agreements (also referred to as protocols): The final, comprehensive agreement was signed on 9 January 2005 and marked the commencement of implementation activities. On 11 October 2007, the SPLM withdrew from the government of national unity (GoNU), accusing the central government of violating

153-560: A "win-win". The northern government said it would assume most of the country's $ 38,000,000,000 debt if secession was voted upon. National campaigns were being held by both parties to address issues of potential clashes ahead of the referendum. President Al-Bashir wanted to reassure and assuage tension surrounding the issue of citizenship rights in the case of South Sudan secession. He said that even if southerners opted for secession, "the sentimental unity and social relations between north and south Sudan will remain standing." Al-Bashir vowed that

204-474: A US list of state-sponsors of terrorism if the two referendums were held on time and the results were respected. They again partook in a statement before the referendum in lauding al-Bashir's statement to respect the vote. Following concerns from the UN about delays, representatives of both regions affirmed a commitment to hold the referendum on time; a media campaign was also launched to raise awareness and increase

255-612: A majority in the new province. The 2008 census reported the total population of South Kordofan at 1,406,404 (though the SPLA claims many ethnic Nuba living in remote regions were not counted). This figure includes the Abyei region and it is not known how many are Nuba, Ngok and Baggara. During the 2010 National Assembly election, the NCP won 13 out of the 17 seats, while the SPLM won 4 seats. The gubernatorial elections were postponed to 2011. During

306-426: A return to conflict." Didiri Mohammad Ahmad, an NCP official, said it was "not possible" to hold the referendum on the future of Abyei on time, and it could be delayed for months or be settled without a vote. He added that "We agreed that in the next talks we will try to look for other alternatives." Sudan's Defense Minister, Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein , suggested the vote may have to be postponed. "According to

357-399: A show of unity before the referendum. Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal also said the referendum could "reignite violence...rather than bring peace," while he said the vote must be "fair and free." The United States extended sanctions against Sudan on 1 November 2010 in order to pressure the government to stick to the referendum deadline. The US then offered to drop Sudan from

408-806: The Naivasha Agreement , was an accord signed on 9 January 2005, by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Government of Sudan . The CPA was meant to end the Second Sudanese Civil War , develop democratic governance countrywide, and share oil revenues . It also set a timetable for a Southern Sudanese independence referendum . The peace process was encouraged by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in addition to

459-527: The ongoing conflict in those regions between the northern wing of the SPLA and the Justice and Equality Movement against the central government. 2011 South Sudanese independence referendum A referendum took place in Southern Sudan from 9 to 15 January 2011, on whether the region should remain a part of Sudan or become independent. The referendum was one of the consequences of

510-576: The 2005 Naivasha Agreement between the Khartoum central government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M). A simultaneous referendum was supposed to be held in Abyei on whether to become part of South Sudan but it was postponed due to conflict over demarcation and residency rights. On 7 February 2011, the referendum commission published the final results, with a landslide majority of 98.83% voting in favour of independence. While

561-720: The 2006 census. Ad-Damazin is the capital of the state. The state of Blue Nile is home to the Roseires Dam , the main source of hydroelectric power in Sudan until the completion of the Merowe Dam in 2010. The following languages are spoken in Blue Nile state according to Ethnologue . Comprehensive Peace Agreement The Comprehensive Peace Agreement ( CPA , Arabic : اتفاقية السلام الشامل , romanized :  Ittifāqiyyah al-salām al-šāmil ), also known as

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612-463: The 2010 Presidential elections, the NCP received 69.3% of the votes in South Kordofan and 56.6% in the Blue Nile, while the SPLM received 18.5% of the votes in South Kordofan and 32.7% in the Blue Nile. Ahmed Harun of NCP defeated Abdelaziz al-Hilu of the SPLM in the 2011 South Kordofan Gubernatorial elections. Harun received 201,455 votes compared to Hilu's 194,955 votes. NCP won 33 seats in

663-539: The AU and say that the Sudan People's Liberation Movement didn't fulfill the CPA Comprehensive Peace Agreement " by allowing open campaigning and the withdrawal of their soldiers from southern areas. He also said that the potential borders between them would have to be drawn up pending redeployment of the SPLM's forces to the 1956 border. Salva Kiir , the president of the southern region and

714-634: The Blue Nile, African ethnic groups such as the Berta , Anuak and Koma are dominant in the South. The Northern part, however, has an Arab majority, although the enclave of Ingessana in Tabi Hills is mostly Animist and was targeted by the northern forces during the civil war. The total population stands at 832,112 according to the Election Commission. During the 2010 provincial elections,

765-554: The CPA, 20 percent of civil service jobs were reserved for southerners, which would then be lost if the country splits. Questions were also asked about the status of tribes such as the Nuba and Misseriya of South Kordofan that inhabit the border regions with South Sudan. When questioned in a poll prior to the official referendum, 97% of South Sudanese people said that they would be voting for independence. An early poll of 1,400 individuals

816-517: The Dinka take this decision – to annex Abyei to the south – there will be an immediate war without any excuse. We think they should be reasonable and think about it. They should know that those who are pushing them to take that decision will not give them any back-up." The status of the Nuba Mountains region of South Kurdufan and Blue Nile is more complex as ethnic data is less clear. In

867-531: The NCP won 29 out of the 48 seats, while the SPLM won 17 seats. In the National Assembly elections, the NCP won 6 out of the 10 seats, while the SPLM got 4. However, the SPLM accused the NCP of fraud. The separate gubernatorial election was won by the SPLM candidate, who polled almost 5% votes more than his NCP rival. The Nuba Mountain was home to some 1,000,000 ethnic Nuba during 1980. A total of 99 different tribes used to live in this region. When

918-407: The SPLM of breaching the terms of the peace deal and warned of a return to conflict if the disputes were not settled before the referendum. Despite that, he said he was committed to holding the referendum, but insisted on settling differences over the shared border and how to share the oil, debt and Nile river water. The NCP accused the SPLM of discouraging southerners who were living in the north of

969-599: The South Sudan referendum for a variety of reasons. Talks on resolving the status and of the eligibility criteria for voters in the disputed Abyei region broke down in October 2010, although both the central ruling NCP and southern SPLM said their respective teams "will meet again in Ethiopia toward the end of October to continue their discussions. The parties continue to commit themselves to their mutual goal of avoiding

1020-531: The UN for the printing of ballots for the referendum as diplomats and the electoral commission warned of any further delay would miss the deadline to hold the election. Abyei was not finalized for the vote. Bishtina Mohammed El Salam of the Misseriya , who dominate the region along with the Dinka tribe, said he would not accept Abyei's seceding and joining the south even though the latter favored secession. "If

1071-468: The ballots were suspended in 10 of the 79 counties for exceeding 100% of the voter turnout, the number of votes was still well over the requirement of 60% turnout, and the majority vote for secession is not in question. The predetermined date for the creation of an independent state was 9 July 2011. The prerequisites for the referendum included a census, which was used to define how wealth and political power will be apportioned between regions. The census

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1122-480: The border. Northern Sudanese troops finally left Southern Sudan on 8 January 2008. A referendum was held from 9 to 15 January 2011 to determine if South Sudan should declare its independence from Sudan, with 98.83% of the population voting for independence. It became independent as the Republic of South Sudan on 9 July 2011. Popular consultations for Blue Nile and South Kordofan were suspended as part of

1173-480: The civil war broke out during the late 1980s, the Nuba aligned with the SPLA. The vast majority of Nuba were taken as prisoners of war and forcibly relocated to camps in North Kordofan and Khartoum. When the fighting ended, only about half the population survived. The rest either surrendered and moved north or were killed during the fighting. After the signing of the peace accord, some of the Nuba returned to

1224-414: The conflict in nearby Darfur . The SPLM announced that it was rejoining the government on 13 December 2007, following an agreement. The agreement states that the seat of government will rotate between Juba and Khartoum every three months, though it appears that this will be largely symbolic, as well as funding for a census (vital for the referendum) and a timetable for the withdrawal of troops across

1275-539: The conflict, though both men had previously called for the country to stay united. Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the meeting sought to ensure the referendum could be held in a "climate of freedom, transparency, and credibility, reflecting the will of the sons of the south" and also that both the South and North could strengthen bonds. [REDACTED] Member State of the Arab League Observers and key players feared violence ahead of

1326-464: The country from registering, as the SPLM threatened not to recognize the referendum if its demands were not met. Southerners in the North were reluctant to vote because of fears of being uprooted from their homes. Muslims in the border provinces of the South also expressed fear of a campaign of violence that could be unleashed as a consequence of the referendum. Many feared a return to civil war , should

1377-492: The determination of Omar al-Bashir to eradicate the Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North , led to a renewed nine-year conflict between government forces and the Sudan Revolutionary Front as well as contributing to a refugee crisis. The conflict finally came to an end in 2020 after a peace agreement was signed and the government to not discriminate based on ethnicity or religion. Further clashes in

1428-416: The first vice president of Sudan, said that the referendum's timing was important as there was "a risk of a return to war in case of delay or denial of this exercise, and it would be on a very massive scale." Kuol Deim Kuol, the spokesman for the SPLM's military, accused the NCP of "just looking for a pretext of starting a war" and called Suwar a "war monger." Sudan's president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, accused

1479-469: The future of these regions. According to the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (or CPA), in October 2009, the central government of Sudan and the South Sudanese government agreed that turnout would have to be at least 60% of 3,800,000 voters would be necessary to validate. In this case, a simple majority vote in favour of independence would result in secession for South Sudan; should

1530-583: The government declared Minnawi an "enemy" and closed his Khartoum office. In December 2010, the Constitutional Court agreed to carry out an investigation into a petition filed by local lawyers seeking the dissolution of the electoral body that was organizing the referendum. Despite calls from the government in southern Sudan that northerners living in the south should be protected, some northerners who were uncertain of their future in an independent state started heading north. Two days prior to

1581-594: The government would use the results against them. Darfuri rebel groups are unanimous in their denunciation of the planned census, while the Justice and Equality Movement group has threatened to attack any census-taker. There were disagreements between the National Congress Party (NCP) and the SPLA/M about what proportion of voters will have to be in favour of independence (the NCP wanted at least 75% support required), whether Southern Sudanese living in

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1632-682: The legislature to SPLM's 22 seats. SPLM refused to acknowledge the results, accusing the NCP of voter intimidation and electoral fraud. Religion was also expected to significantly influence the referendum. Christian commentators have noted that there is a "climate of chronic discrimination against Sudanese Christians and other minorities." For some, religion was not the issue, while other southerners objected to alleged " Islamisation ." Some Southern Sudanese had also claimed that tribalism and racism affected their choice. South Sudanese Muslims supported secession. President Omar al-Bashir said dual citizenship would not be allowed. According to

1683-615: The mountains, but the tribal elders refused to re-admit them into the tribes as they feared the abductees (mostly young men) were too Islamised. They were finally allowed back into the tribal fold after a 6-month re-education camp. The SPLA controls four counties in Southern Kordofan: Lagawa, Kadugli, Rashad and Dilling. In 2005, the Arab dominated West Kordofan was merged in to South Kordofan , resulting in Arabs gaining

1734-451: The north and south of Sudan have been accused of harassment and intimidation against the media in order to avoid dissenting coverage. Rights groups warned the media could be slapped with further restrictions. The Youth and Sports Minister, Haj Majid Suwar, of the National Congress Party (NCP) suggested the government "may not recognise the results" and would "talk to ... the USA and the UN and

1785-462: The north should be allowed to vote, and the post-referendum separation process (including the division of the national debt). Modest progress was made in early September 2010, but disagreements on fundamental points remain. It is envisaged that "popular consultations" in South Kordofan and Blue Nile , without a clear reference to referendums and/or independence, would raise concerns about

1836-483: The north would ignite a war. "In order to avoid conflict, we could look to a phase-out arrangement whereby you provide the north some [oil] until they get an alternative". The pipeline to export southern oil currently cuts through the north, and the south has not begun construction on a pipeline that would avoid that route. In an article published by The Washington Post on 21 September 2010, Deng noted that an interim agreement could help both north and south and result in

1887-556: The peace agreement and its procedures." Sudan's UN ambassador Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman told the Security Council that "It is evident that any attempt to conduct the plebiscite before achieving an acceptable settlement between the two parties [in Abyei] will mean only a return to war." The United States said it was working to avoid the "danger" that would follow the failure to hold the referendum. The government Sudan asked

1938-496: The prospective support for the referendum would be "the real independence day for Sudan." On 8 January, the mood in Juba , the southern capital, and the wider region was said to be jubilant with final pro-secession rallies celebrating independence in advance. Early during the referendum process, an Egyptian proposal was made to have a confederation between the north and south of the country. However, President Omar al-Bashir said it

1989-478: The reality on the ground...border issues and Abyei must be resolved within the framework of one nation because doing so in the framework of two countries open[s] the door for foreign interference. The referendum is not a goal but a tool to consolidate and promote security and stability. This [UDI] is illegal and will not be recognized by the African Union or the other [organizations] because it would contradict

2040-462: The referendum fail because of the increasingly heated rhetoric. Along with Chad, Sudan sought to secure the border area ahead of the referendum. In addition to warnings of civil war, it was also read that a possible civil war could involve the Lord's Resistance Army and bring Uganda into the conflict. Despite rifts amongst Southern parties, more than 20 parties ironed over their differences to put

2091-425: The rights of southern citizens staying in the north after secession would be safeguarded, saying that his party would not allow anyone to infringe on the rights of southerners in the north, their properties, freedoms and residence regardless of citizenship. The northern Justice and Peace Forum Party advocated separation of the country citing unity as a "bad forced marriage." Its chairman Al Taieb Mustafa said that

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2142-617: The south is very important to us because any instability in the south will have an impact on the north. If there is a war in your neighbour's house, you will not be at peace. The south suffers from many problems. It's been at war since 1959. The south does not have the ability to provide for its citizens or create a state or authority." Negotiations continue between the ruling parties in the north and south on potential post-referendum arrangements—looking at future issues such as citizenship, security, finance and wealth sharing. Minister of Petroleum Mr. Deng said he fears that an immediate budget cut for

2193-461: The state broke out in 2022 between the Hausa people and Funj and Berta peoples over land disputes which led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians. The State is sub-divided into six districts (with 2006 Census populations shown hereafter): Blue Nile state has an area of 45,844 km and an estimated population of 1,193,293. The Central Bureau of Statistics quoted the population at 832,112 in

2244-547: The terms of the CPA. In particular, the SPLM states that the Khartoum-based government, which is dominated by the National Congress Party , has failed to withdraw over 15,000 troops from southern oilfields and failed to implement the Protocol on Abyei. The SPLM stated that it was not returning to war, while analysts noted that the agreement had been disintegrating for some time, notably because of international focus on

2295-403: The turnout be insufficient in the first referendum, a second one will be held within sixty days. Sudanese officials have said throughout campaigning that, regardless of their pro-unity or pro-separatist stance, the ultimate aim was a peaceful transition. Vice President Kiir acknowledged his administration had failed to deliver "the dividends of peace", and noted that a campaign to confiscate arms

2346-558: The turnout. Minni Minnawi, the only Sudan Liberation Army faction signatory to the Darfur Peace Agreement , quit the agreement and resigned his post as Special Advisor to the President, saying the deal had failed. He consequently moved to Juba in the south saying the referendum would be successful as southerners "reject the policy of this [Khartoum] government" and the north would then be a "failed state." In return,

2397-530: The war continue to make movement difficult, while up to 5,000,000 Sudanese are nomadic. Up to 2,000,000 internally displaced persons from the south remain in camps around Khartoum , in the centre of the country, whilst refugees remain in Uganda and Kenya . A further complication results from the conflict in Darfur to the west, where civilians who have fled attacks refuse to take part in census out of fear that

2448-415: Was a solution to maintaining stability. Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir said that the southern region had a right to choose to secede and that the referendum was helpful because unity "could not be forced by power." He also said he would respect the outcome of the vote and support the south. However, he also said that though secession was a right it may not resolve issues for the south: "The stability of

2499-713: Was carried out by a coalition of civil society organisations in Southern Sudan prior to the January referendum, indicating that 97% of voters would likely vote for secession. According to John Andruga, chairman of the coalition, 100% of respondents in the states of Unity and Eastern Equatoria would vote for secession. A similar survey carried out one year prior by the US-based National Democratic Institute had indicated that 90% of voters would vote for secession. Authorities in both

2550-421: Was not being considered because the issue of the referendum was about "unity or separation. Our brothers in the south are refusing at the moment the proposal of confederation. If the separation was the result of the referendum, the two sides are going to negotiate over the future of relations between them." Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi later went to Sudan to try to assuage

2601-408: Was the basis of a voter registration process, which was also used for the national elections in 2010 , which in turn set the stage for the referendum. The census was delayed three times. Problems included disagreements between the north and south over what they are obliged to do by the Naivasha Agreement , funding difficulties and an enormous logistical challenge. In the south, unmapped minefields from

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