Thousands of South Sudanese again gathered outside polling stations hours before opening time, for the second day of voting in the historic independence referendum.

The referendum is expected to split Africa’s largest country and create an independent Southern Sudan after 55 years of bloody civil war. The vote has stirred up strong emotions in both North and South, ranging from joy to bitterness. Salve Kiir, the President of Southern Sudan, was unable to hold back his tears as voting began in the regional capital Juba on Sunday.

Divided as usual
Angelina Kor, 22, a student at Juba University, was born in the North and came to Juba only one year ago but is a firm believer in independence: “The only thing we want from the Northerners is to leave us alone, I am strongly for separation, especially because I lived that long in the North, I never felt I belonged there.”

Driving me through Juba in his old bus, banged up by the rough roads, Deng Leolong tells me he is also pro-independence - but also still concerned about the future: ‘’The problem is not unity or separation, the problem is war; I will vote for separation, hopefully that will bring the final end to war”

Salim Salih, a Northerner who owns a shop in the city centre, refuses to be scared: “I will remain in Juba as long as it is safe as it is now. I have been here through all the years of war, why should I leave in peace time?” Salih refuses to reveal whether he prefers unity or separation though, simply saying diplomatically, “I have no problem with Southerners”.
 
Dancing and drums
The streets of Juba are ringing to the beat of African drums and filled with singing and dancing crowds. But elsewhere the atmosphere is less festive. More than 20 people have been killed in violent clashes since voting began. There has been fighting between the south Sudanese SPLA and tribal rebels along the border between north and south, and also between Arab tribesmen and Southerners in the disputed oil rich area of Abyei. It is hoped the referendum will spell an end to the decades of violence in the country, but there are fears that leaders in both the North and South will use tribal militias to continue a proxy war.

A grim atmosphere in Khartoum
Strict security measures are in place in Khartoum, the capital in the North, and the atmosphere is grim. A tone of bitterness is evident in the words of politicians and the media about the widely expected result of the referendum. Government and opposition figures blame each other for failing to make unity an “attractive option”, as agreed in the peace deal concluded in 2005. There are at least half a million Southerners living in Khartoum, but only a few hundred have shown up to vote at the capital’s polling centres.

Leading role
There was a leading role for Rebecca Garang - widow of legendary rebel leader and SPLA founder John Garang - in Juba on the first day of voting. It was John Garang who signed the 2005 peace agreement that provided for Sunday's referendum, shortly before his death in a mysterious helicopter crash.

The well-dressed Mrs Garang was the focus of media attention as she told the media how happy she was to see the dreams of her husband realised. Then in a reference to continuing disagreements with the North, she said “but my heart goes out at this moment to the marginalised people of the Nuba Mountains and Darfur in Northern Sudan and I long for the day of their victory”. She concluded her solo performance with prayers and tears at her late husband’s mausoleum where the referendum was kicked off.Mrs. Garang previously served as a minister but was unable to work with the government of the South. She is now an advisor to the president on gender and human rights issues.

The referendum will last a week. A simple majority will suffice for secession, but turnout must be at least 60 percent for the referendum to be legally valid. The south has about 3.75 million registered voters.