Sudanese diaspora in Europe vote for secession By Martin Plaut

Africa editor, BBC News Published duration 16 January 2011

image caption Voters celebrated as the result was announced

The first official count of Sudan's referendum has been announced, with the country's diaspora in Europe overwhelmingly voting for secession.

Voters cheered as the results declared that more than 97% of the 640 voters had been in favour of a new state.

The referendum was part of a peace agreement signed with north Sudan in 2005, ending decades of war.

Full results of the vote - which ended on Saturday after a week-long poll - are not expected until next month.

The vote is widely expected to see the south choose for separation from the north.

'Dancing'

In a hall opposite parliament in London where the count was taking place, votes were held up one by one and placed in piles: Secession, Unity, Unmarked or Invalid.

Voters had made an often long and expensive journey to Britain to exercise their choice.

Finally, just before midnight, the official in charge of the polling station, Federico Vuni, read out the results.

"I hereby announce the results of this polling station in the referendum of (on) the future status of Sudan," he said.

"Number of invalid ballots: zero; number of unmarked ballots: one; number of votes for unity: 13; number of votes for secession: 626".

Men and women embraced, they danced, they waved the flag of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) - the rebel movement that had fought so long for this moment.