Sudanese Calgarians vote in referendum
Posted Jan 9, 2011 2:39 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
People from Sudan are heading to the polls this week to decide the fate of their nation.
They’re voting on whether the mainly Christian south of the country should separate from the Islamic north.
In Calgary over 1,300 people of Sudanese descent have registered to cast their ballot from abroad in the referendum.
The voting centre representative in Calgary, Alice Killam, tells 660News people have travelled from across western Canada to take part in the decision.
“I wish you were here to talk to some of the people who have traveled from all over western Canada, because no one can say it quite like they do. This is a historic moment for them.”
The last time the country made headline news, governments around the globe were condemning the brutal treatment of people in the eastern region of Darfur.
It’s expected the south will vote for independence, meaning once the polls close next week, the world could see it’s newest country.
“The feeling among the south Sudanese is this is a defining moment in their life and they are celebrating this moment. They have brought their families, in some cases, with them to vote,” Killam says.
