KHARTOUM - The ruling Sudanese National Congress Party said on Sunday it "regrets" a southern leader's call for regional independence in an upcoming referendum, saying it contradicts a peace deal that ended a two-decade civil war.
"My understanding is that these remarks contradict the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, according to which priority must be given to unity," NCP official Mandour al-Mahdi said in a statement reported by official SUNA news agency.
On Saturday, southern leader Silva Kiir said south Sudanese will be "second class" citizens in a united Sudan if they do not vote for independence in the referendum set for 2011.
South north Sudan fought a two-decade civil war that ended in 2005 with a power sharing peace deal that included provisions for a general election in 2010 and a referendum on southern independence a year later.
Meanwhile, Sudanese people began on Sunday to register for the general election, the country's first in 24 years.
Due to be held in April, the ballot comes at a crucial time for Sudan.
"Voter registration has started across Sudan," the head of the elections commission, Al-Hadi Mohammed Ahmed, said.
Sudanese voters have a month to register for the polls and the authorities have set up both fixed and mobile registration centres across Africa's largest country.
"We have set up a calendar (to reach remote areas) and village (tribal) chiefs are aware" of the registration, said Ahmed.
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