Election watchdog demands KPU response<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An election watchdog held a protest on Monday urging the General
\nElections Commission (KPU) to issue a public announcement either
\nauthorizing it to monitor the polls or rejecting its application
\nand the reasons for the decision.<\/p>\n
\"We haven't received the KPU's approval, although we fulfilled
\nall administrative requirements. If we have been turned down,
\nwhat is their basis for such a decision,\" said executive director
\nof the Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) Ray
\nRangkuti.<\/p>\n
The deadline for accreditation for election observers is June
\n15.<\/p>\n
Dozens of KIPP members from around the country staged a rally
\nat KPU headquarters. One of the commission's members is a KIPP
\nfounder -- Mulyana W. Kusumah.<\/p>\n
The protesters, who snuck into the grounds one by one to stage
\nthe rally, said the commission had revived the tactic of the
\nbygone New Order regime of imposing a permit for any activity
\ninvolving civil society movements.<\/p>\n
Ray said the KPU should publicly disclose their motives behind
\nits refusal, if such was the decision, to grant the monitoring
\npermit. \"Is it because they were offended by our statement that
\nthe KPU had turned into a general censorship commission and we
\ndeclined to apologize?\"<\/p>\n
KIPP was reprimanded by the KPU during the legislative
\nelection for disclosing its findings to the public before
\nconsulting the commission first. In response, the polls watchdog
\nsent a letter to the commission on April 19, saying the KPU had
\nno authority over whether or not a watchdog could communicate
\nwith the public.<\/p>\n
It also said the commission could not suppress findings from a
\npolls watchdog.<\/p>\n
Separately, KPU member Valina Singka Subekti said the
\ncommission had not issued a permit for KIPP, as it had violated
\nthe code of ethics of election observers.<\/p>\n
\"It was agreed by all monitoring institutions that they would
\nkeep their reports confidential and that the KPU would be the
\nfirst to know about their findings. But in the case of KIPP, we
\nlearned of their findings after it had been circulated widely,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
She also said KIPP should have abided by KPU Ruling No.
\n104\/2003, which obligates all election monitors to present their
\nreports to the KPU.<\/p>\n
Under the General Elections Law, the KPU is in charge of
\norganizing and conducting the elections, although it does not
\nhave jurisdiction over the findings of election monitors.<\/p>\n
The commission has issued monitoring permits for a number of
\nlocal observers, including the Election Caring Community,
\nTransparency International, the Habibie Center, the Institute of
\nResearch, Education and Information on Socio-political Affairs,
\nthe People's Voters Education Network and a consortium of nine
\nlocal non-governmental organizations.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/election-watchdog-demands-kpu-response-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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