EU and TI plan to monitor elections<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A number of foreign poll watchdogs have expressed interest in
\nmonitoring the 2004 elections, a General Elections Commission
\n(KPU) member says.<\/p>\n
Valina Singka Subekti, head of the KPU team responsible for
\nthe accreditation of poll monitors, said on Tuesday that the
\nEuropean Union (EU) and Transparency International (TI) had
\nexpressed their intention to monitor this year's elections.<\/p>\n
\"EU is interested in monitoring this year's elections as the
\n2004 elections will follow a new format, namely an open
\nproportional election and direct presidential election,\" Valina
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Secretary-general of TI Indonesia, Emmy Hafild said earlier
\nthat her organization was interested in monitoring the campaign
\nfunds of political parties.<\/p>\n
Separately, KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said that
\nthere was a possibility that the Carter Center of the United
\nStates would register to monitor the elections.<\/p>\n
According to Ramlan, Dwight King of the Carter Center was now
\nin Indonesia to, among other things, ask about the possibility of
\nmonitoring the upcoming elections.<\/p>\n
The country will hold the legislative election on April 5, and
\npresidential election on July 5. Should the July election fail to
\nproduce a clear winner, a second round of the presidential
\nelection would be organized for September. A total of 24
\npolitical parties will participate in the legislative election.<\/p>\n
Based on KPU's technical guidelines on election monitoring,
\nissued last Friday, local and foreign organizations, foreign
\nlegislative bodies, foreign governments, foreign elections
\ncommissions, foreign political parties, local and foreign
\nresearch institutes, and international organizations may register
\nwith KPU to monitor the elections.<\/p>\n
According to Valina, all poll watchdogs must meet three
\nrequirements -- to be independent, have clear financial
\nresources, and gain accreditation from KPU.<\/p>\n
Additional requirements include experiences in monitoring
\nelections, the provision of a list of executive board members,
\nand a list of the organization's members.<\/p>\n
Foreign poll watchdogs can register with Indonesian embassies
\noverseas or with KPU.<\/p>\n
\"We try not to make the requirements difficult to fulfill,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
She added that the extra prerequisites were only a requirement
\nas they added information to KPU's database on poll monitors.<\/p>\n
According to KPU guidelines, foreign poll monitors will be
\ngiven visas and access to all areas of Indonesia. They will have
\nthe right to security and legal protection (provided by the
\nIndonesian government), to monitor and collect information at any
\nstage of the elections and to access the poll stations on
\nelection days.<\/p>\n
Valina further said local poll watchdogs, such as the
\nIndependent Committee for Election Monitoring (KIPP), Forum
\nRektor, and the Indonesian Muslim Association (HMI) have also
\nexpressed their intention of monitoring the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
\"But let's see tomorrow (Wednesday) when the registration
\nperiod starts,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Separately, KIPP executive director Ray Rangkuti complained on
\nTuesday of the difficulty in gaining accreditation from KPU.
\nAmong the requirements for accreditation are experiences in
\nmonitoring elections and photographs of members.<\/p>\n
Rangkuti said the requirements had only discouraged new
\norganizations from registering with KPU.<\/p>\n
\"The number of poll watchdogs this year might not be as many
\nas for the 1999 elections,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"If the number of monitors this year drops, public
\nparticipation will also decrease,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Valina, however, dismissed suggestions that the requirements
\nwould discourage new poll watchdogs.<\/p>\n
\"I think the number of poll watchdogs will drop due to limited
\nfunds from donors,\" she said.<\/p>\n
In 1999, 66 local poll watchdogs monitored the elections and
\n555 foreign poll watchdogs.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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