EU PULLS DARFUR POLL MONITOR
Apr 8th, 2010 by admin
The European Union announced on Wednesday that it has withdrawn its poll observers from Sudan’s conflict-ridden Darfur region because of safety concerns. The decision came as one of the country’s main opposition party joined a growing boycott of national elections due to start on Sunday. A spokesman for the Uma party said on Thursday that its candidates would not contest in presidential, parliamentary or state elections for fear of vote rigging. The main political party of South Sudan, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), announced on Tuesday it was extending its boycott of the poll to 13 of Sudan’s 15 northern states. The SPLM had already withdrawn its candidate from the presidential race and from the elections in Darfur last week. Sunday’s vote is supposed to be the country’s first multi-party election in 24 years.
