Sudan: Smiling faces and ink-stained fingers

This post is part of our special coverage South Sudan Referendum 2011.

Alun McDonald and David McKenzie are posting regular updates on their Twitter accounts from Southern Sudan where voters are taking part in a referendum on whether the region should remain a part of Sudan or be independent.

From 5 hour queues to a trickle of voters:

Only a trickle of voters now at John Garang’s Mausoleum. 5 hour queues on Sunday, now in and out in 5 mins #Sudanref

A voter with a leg shattered by a bullet:

A war vet in 70s with a leg shattered by a bullet one of the 1st to vote. “I have to…I have to, even through this hardship.” #sudanref

Vote for freedom and say goodbye to the North:

Bumped into an old friend from Khartoum in Juba market – he just returned home to “vote for freedom & say goodbye to the North”

A Russian expat cooking his own eggs at a restaurant in Juba:

Russian expat in Juba cooking his own eggs at the breakfast line, Kenyan chef looks on: hilarious #sudan

70 year old voters:

http://twitpic.com/3op0iw – These 70 year old voted this morning along the white nile early today #sudanref

70 year old voters in Southern Sudan. Photo courtesy of David McKenzie

Smiling faces and ink-stained fingers:

Back in Juba to lots of smiling faces and ink-stained fingers #Sudanref

What if John Garang were alive?:

How different would this week have been if John Garang was still alive – would we now be looking at unity? #Sudanref #Sudan

Testimonies from voters

Kathy:

Kathy, voting with her baby Duku: “I want my kid not to suffer. The suffering ends with me.” #sudanref

Hakim:

Hakim, on a ferry for 12 days from Khartoum, “It is my own place, my own country, I must come back to be among my people.”

Petronella:

Petronella, recently back from exile: ” It has given me an identity.It has shown me that I have a country now.” #sudanref

This post is part of our special coverage South Sudan Referendum 2011.

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