Haroun was declared the winner of the governorship poll in the oil-rich South Kordofan State, defeating his closest opponent and SPLM's candidate Abdul Aziz Al-Hilu by some 6,500 votes. SPLM said the vote was rigged.
Haroun is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly mobilising Arab militias to commit genocide, against black Africans residing in Darfur, during his time as a minister in the region in 2003-4. He has contested the allegations, saying they were not ture.
Speaking on behalf of the party yesterday 15th May, Head of SPLM, Yasir Arman, noted: “We will not accept these results because the vote was rigged.” Experts fear that this latest incident might provoke violence in the region where more than 1.5 million people have died during the decades of conflict.
Many believe that the ongoing tensions between the North and the South - quelled by a 2005 peace deal which paved the way for the South's independence - will flare-up again if various frustrated groups and individuals take up-arms once more.
Speaking to the BBC an official from the Justice Africa think-tank, Hafiz Mohamed, said: "These people were fighting for 20 years and their aspirations are not fulfilled...The way things are going, it's leading to a deadlock, which will end up with people carrying arms to release their frustration…If it starts, no-one can stop it – it will affect the south, it will affect the north. With the war in Darfur, we are heading for dangerous times."
Sources: BBC News, Los Angeles Times, Sudan Tribute, Sudan Vision
For more news and expert analysis about the Sahara region, please see Sahara Focus.
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