Human Rights Activists Challenge Legitimacy Of Upcoming Sudanese Election

By Ching Yu Wang-Talk Radio News Service

A collection of human rights activists told reporters during a conference call Thursday that the results of Sudan’s upcoming election will likely not be legitimate.

Sam Bell, the executive director of the Genocide Intervention Network, explained that opposition candidates have had limited access to media and are restricted by draconian national security laws.

“This is not going to be a legitimate election and it shouldn’t be recognized as such by the United States or other parties,” said Bell.

The election, scheduled to take place from April 11 through April 13, is the first multiparty election in the country in 26 years.

John Norris, the executive director of the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, has accused the Obama administration of faltering in their interaction with Sudan.

“There is a divide in the administration about how to approach Sudan and how to approach Sudan policy," said Norris. “The administration needs to be far less delicate and it needs to be honest about what’s going on.”

Gabriel Stauring, the director of Stop Genocide Now, says that Congress should play a watchdog role over both Sudan and the Obama administration's relation with the country.

“Congress plays an important role here in providing oversight to ... redirect the U.S. policy in Sudan," says Stuaring, whose organization has ran ads on the social networking site Facebook targeting the constituents of members who sit on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.