Lately in the news, what articles I do see about Sudan are about the upcoming election in 2010. These scheduled elections were agreed upon in a peace deal after a bloody civil war between the north and south but many people don't realize how the conflict in Darfur plays a major role in these elections.
Under the 2005 peace deal - the Comprehensive Peace Agreement -that ended more than two decades of civil war between north and south Sudan, there is a scheduled election and this election is key to maintaining peace between the north and south as well as possibly taking a step toward peace in Darfur. But as is the case with most things involving the Government of Sudan and it's president, Omar al-Bashir, there are problems.
A BBC report from the 25th of July states that the head of the UN's peacekeeping force, Alain Le Roy, is concerned that the millions of Darfur refugees will not be able to vote because of the 
disputed census and their displacement into IDP camps. This is fantastic if your al-Bashir though, what hypocritical tyrant wouldn't want millions of pissed off and disenfranchised people left off of the voting register.
Le Roy also said that large scale violence and citizen displacement were no longer "hallmarks of the crisis". News flash to the UN.....the reason we aren't seeing these "hallmarks of the crisis" is because you, the UN, sat on your hands for the last six years while al-Bashir ran buckshot in Darfur. You can't let him kill and displace everyone and then claim some kind of peace, sorry it doesn't work that way.
The Sudan Tribune reported today however that the chairman of the North Darfur higher electoral committee, Al-Sir Ahmed Al-Mak, said that the IDP camps were included in the demarcation process but the census director of North Darfur, Ms. Wafaa Hassan Mansour, stated that the census would not take place in the Northern IDP camps because they are "not accessible". What? I am sorry Ms Mansour but if these camps are so inaccessible then how did millions of refugees find their way there? Might I suggest your census takers do the same thing those refugees had to do and hike across the desert to the camps.
She further stated that the IDPs have protested the census and threatened to attack the census takers so, here is the kicker, the Central Bureau of Statistics has decided to estimate the populations of the IDPs and other areas deemed "unsafe". How do they plan to estimate the populations of these area you ask? They are going to base their numbers on information from humanitarian agencies working in Darfur.
This works out fantastic for al-Bashir as they just expelled the largest humanitarian groups, claiming they were in league with the International Criminal Court and responsible for the subsequent warrant issued against him for crimes against humanity, and they have hand picked the relief agencies allowed back in to fill that void. Now they can claim low IDP camp populations with false information strong armed with the threat of expulsion from hand picked humanitarian agencies. By claiming lower populations in these areas the Government of Sudan can ensure Darfur receives less representation in the 2010 elected national parliament and ultimately keeping him in control. That is of course if the elections actually take place.
Last month, the Government of Sudan pushed back the date of the election two months to April of 2010 and this is the second time they have moved the election date back.
But lets be honest with each other for a second shall we. After over two decades of totalitarian rule do we really believe that al-Bashir is going to let Sudan have its first fair and free election? Not a chance. Even if the election does happen it is pretty obvious that it will be far from "fair" and will be highly contested. With the protection of China and Russia, al-Bashir has manged to almost empty Darfur while being free of any real consequence from the UN. And with the U.S. administration waffling on any firm Darfur policy why would he risk losing any of his power? The writing on the wall is clear as day, without more "Sticks" and less "Carrots" al-Bashir will thwart the peace process and the election to retain absolute control.
Unless the international community and the governments of the world force his hand, we will get more of the same from Omar al-Bashir. Crazy is running into the same wall repeatedly expecting a different result each time. Expecting al-Bashir to change his ways when we never do anything to stop him is just plain stupid.
Corey Dragge is a long time activist and has worked with various Darfur related organizations. Currently living in Las Vegas, Nevada he has started a genocide education project in hopes of speaking to at least one class in every high school in Nevada.
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