OMAHA, Neb. -- National pride brought thousands of Sudanese nationals to Omaha on Sunday.
They traveled through the winter conditions from a wide region to vote whether southern Sudan should become its own separate nation.
Many of those voting came by bus or van, then they waited outside St. Richard's Church near 43rd and Fort streets to cast their vote.
Simon Deng came in from Kansas City to vote for his family still in Sudan, where he said they have been persecuted by those in the northern part of the country.
"We tell them bye-bye for enslaving us, bye-by for mistreating us, bye-bye for using us as second-class citizens," said Deng.
The polling place at the church will be open through next Saturday