Delay in Sudan referendum could trigger a return to civil war

Hundreds of people marched through the streets in Southern Sudan earlier this month to mark the four-month point before an independence referendum is held. The referendum will decide whether oil-rich southern Sudan breaks away from the north to become Africa's newest nation.

But negotiations between north and south have stalled over border demarcation, and preparations for the vote are behind schedule fuelling fears that it will not go ahead as planned.

Sean O’Leary is a Missionary for Africa and director of the Denis Hurley Peace Institute which has been closely following developments in Africa’s largest nation. He told Vatican Radio that while observers fear “delay could trigger a return to civil war”, other African neighbours fear the referendum could “set a precedent” for similar divisions in their own countries .

The civil war ended in 2005 with the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement that promised the southern succession referendum in 2011. Fr. O’Leary points out that main sticking point is access to the nations huge oil reserves and the revenue they bring. Hear more: