JUBA, 19 January 2011 (IRIN) – The referendum vote on the future of Southern Sudan defied critics by passing off peacefully, but the region still faces challenges that could threaten stability, say experts and officials. “The referendum environment was peaceful, secure and orderly to allow voters in large numbers to exercise their democratic rights with relative ease,” Victor Tonchi, head of the African Union observer mission, told reporters at the release of a preliminary report on 16 January. Despite previous warnings of the risk of violence, the 9-15 January voting period was peaceful and calm, observers said. Enthusiastic voters queued patiently for hours, with a high turnout in the…
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SUDAN: Referendum vote over, now the hard work begins