Sudan (MNN) — Sudan's election commission is extending voting by two more days to
compensate for technical problems.
Voting wraps up on Thursday.
The extension
is in an effort to address the legitimacy of the results before they become an
issue. These historic elections are a
test to the fragile unity of the country, which means conflict could
erupt.
The Africa Inland
Mission (AIM) Sudan team
currently has 24 members. Dr. Phil Byler, the leader of the South Sudan
Unit of the Central Region, says, "We had the same concern, enough so that
we have pulled all of our AIM personnel out of the country for these days,
until the results are announced and we can see how the country is reacting to the results of the
election."
These are
presidential and parliamentary elections. They signal an end to the transitional period
which began when the Civil War ended in 2005.
If this election does fall apart in violence or is discredited
by international observers, it could
jeopardize the south's chance to vote for its freedom in January. That, in turn, would endanger negotiations over how to divide vast oil
wealth in the region.
Byler says, "Pray
that there can be peace, that there will be a new government elected that will
do a good job of governing."
Ministry has
been disrupted; however, Byler thinks they'll be on track again soon.
"We're fully anticipating, hoping and expecting, to be back in Sudan again
in a few weeks–perhaps even two weeks from now if all goes well –and continue
our mission ministry there."
Pray for free
and fair elections and for the international community who will be
observing. Pray for the AIM missionaries who are using this time to rest
and ready themselves for ministry in the
post-election period.
