SPLM Chapter in New York State ready for Sudan's general elections
April 1, 2008 (New York NSV)—On March 29, many SPLM supporters attending community general meeting in the City of Syracuse turned the meeting venue into an ID photo studio.
Many people had their SPLM ID pictures taken in the basement of St. Vincent de Paul’s multipurpose building where the Sudanese Community meeting was taking place.
Briefing the Syracuse Sudanese Community in the meeting on Saturday, March 29, Chol-Awan Majok, the party’s Secretary General for Syracuse sub-chapter, asked the Sudanese to join the SPLM in large numbers and register so that they are not left out in the democratization process of the Sudan. “It is only if you registered that you will vote [during the election and referendum]," he said.
Peter Afet, chairman of Syracuse sub-chapter congratulated new members and thanked them for their decision to the Sudan People's Liberation Movement Party.
By today, April 1, the SPLM chapter in the state will have all information about each SPLM member in this jurisdiction sent to GOSS Mission in Washington, DC. The Head of SPLM in the United States and South Sudanese representative to Washington, Mr. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, will then send the information to Juba for processing.
Syracuse is one of the many cities in the United States that hosts the chapter. Other cities with significant number of Sudanese are: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester, and the New York City area. A total of about 2,000 Sudanese reside across the state.
Like many other Sudanese in the Diaspora, Sudanese New Yorkers see SPLM as the only legitimate party to sustain peace and bring development to Sudan.
Majority of Sudanese in New York, especially South Sudanese and those from two contested states of Nuba Mountains and Ingessina are overwhelmingly joining the SPLM party.
New York State is one of the several states in the United States with large number of Sudanese. Some 500 plus Sudanese resides in Syracuse; many of them are active members of the party.
Sudan will hold its first legitimate election next year for the first time since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1956. A referendum is also scheduled to take place in mid 2011: South Sudanese and Abyei residents will vote on either secession or unity with the North.
