Southern Sudanese flee Khartoum to vote

According to BBC, thousands of Sudanese are leaving northern Sudan in order to be in the south for the vote for independence in January. The southern government is organizing and paying for many of these returns, as the north has hinted that southern Sudanese will not be welcome if the south votes for independence. UN humanitarian workers are worried about this flight. Many southerners are leaving jobs in the north for an uncertain future in the south, including unemployment. The mass exodus is also clogging up transportation, leaving many to wait weeks for their bus trip south. However, the southern government wants as many southerners in voting areas protected by the south as possible, as they do not trust the north to count the votes fairly. Whether peaceful or violent, this voting process will greatly impact the countries surrounding Sudan.

-Abbey Smith