Tensions build as southern Sudan prepares for independence vote
On January 9th, Southern Sudan is scheduled to vote on whether to break away from the North and form a separate nation. So far over three million people have signed up to vote, with about 96 percent in favor of secession. This referendum is part of a 2005 peace agreement between the North and South, but tensions in the North about oil reserves are high, and the South continues to struggle with basic humanitarian needs. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof explains what’s at stake ? and whether a vote with such high stakes can go off without a hitch.
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