Foreign Affairs committee  The issue of debt, actually, is a very critical one. Sudan right now is sitting at $36 billion U.S. Most of the debt was actually taken by the national government in Khartoum, and they want to divide this debt with the south. The people of southern Sudan believe this money was taken to buy very sophisticated weapons to kill the people of southern Sudan.

Foreign Affairs committee  We need a 60% turnout of voters registered. Then, if 50% plus one do vote for one of the options, that result will be recognized.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes.

Foreign Affairs committee  There is a concern because the NCP is building up the military on the borders between the north and the south, especially in the area that has the oil and other interests that borders between the south and the north. Last month, during the visit of the Security Council to Juba, the President of the Government of Southern Sudan made an appeal officially to the Security Council to deploy forces between the borders of the north and the south.

Foreign Affairs committee  Of course, yes, they always say no. They always say no for anything.

Foreign Affairs committee  Of course, Canada has so much to offer in this situation because of the role of Canada--respect and leadership--between the north and the south. Canada has no personal ambitions to pursue either in the north or in the south. All they want is to make sure peace is maintained in Sudan as a country.

Foreign Affairs committee  According to the UN head count, southern Sudan is around 16 million.

Foreign Affairs committee  The north is really unpredictable. You never know what the real number is, but they're saying around 21 million or 22 million.

Foreign Affairs committee  The census of 2008 shrank the population of southern Sudan to 8.2 million, which was rejected by the SPLM and the Government of Southern Sudan. Nobody agreed with that number.

Foreign Affairs committee  The registration has not started yet. It will start November 14.

Foreign Affairs committee  Recently the Government of Southern Sudan, through the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, made a call to the international community to help in transporting IDPs in Khartoum back to southern Sudan. That is under way. That just started today, to move them to southern Sudan using buses, trains, and ships to go to areas like Upper Nile and Equatoria.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you so much for your questions. There are similarities between Darfur and southern Sudan in the way the war has been conducted. The demands of the people of Darfur are different from those of the people of southern Sudan, but they share one thing--the unequal development and unequal power sharing within the central government.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you so much. I would like to thank you for this opportunity, and I thank you for inviting me to this hearing. I had prepared something to deliver to you. I don't know whether to make a comment on the questions you have just asked or if you want me to deliver my opening remarks.

Foreign Affairs committee  Okay. Maybe we'll keep it for later. I hope the clerk has given this document to some of you.

Foreign Affairs committee  Okay. Chairperson, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, honourable members, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the committee for inviting me to this hearing. It is an honour to be here with you to talk about the impact of the referendum on the future of the Sudan.