Aprils referendum in Darfur is over and the result is in: Voters opted to retain the status quo, separating Darfur in five administrative states (here, here, here). Official numbers state that 97% of the voters opted for five states while the rest wanted a single-state-solution. The referendum took place despite outcry in the weeks prior (here) and the boycott by major opposition groups. Opposition forces pushed for a reform, giving a single state more Autonomy over the central government in Khartoum. The government, in contrast, fears that a united Darfur would fuel efforts to separate Darfur from Sudan, much like South Sudan became independent in 2011.
