Foreign election observers welcomed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An independent poll watchdog activist and a
\npolitician said yesterday they could not wait for the government
\nto keep its promise to allow foreigners to monitor the May 29
\nelection.<\/p>\n
They agreed that the promise highlighted the government's
\nconfidence that the election would be clean, honest and fair.<\/p>\n
Mulyana W. Kusumah, the Independent Election Monitoring
\nCommittee's secretary-general, said the Indonesian government
\nwanted to show the world there would be nothing to hide in the
\nforthcoming election.<\/p>\n
\"It's a progressive move that will improve the government's
\npublic accountability,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
However, Mulyana said the decision to invite foreign observers
\nshould not be seen as anything unusual.<\/p>\n
\"It's a global phenomenon that has already happened in
\nThailand, the Philippines and several other democratic
\ncountries.\"<\/p>\n
Last week Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M., who also
\nchairs the General Elections Institute, guaranteed that foreign
\nobservers would have access to monitor all stages of the
\nelections, including visiting polling booths, on May 29.<\/p>\n
But the government has yet to make it clear who it will
\ninvite.<\/p>\n
According to Mulyana, a coalition of non-governmental
\norganizations in the United States called the Global Exchange had
\napplied to the Indonesian government to observe the election.<\/p>\n
He also said that other NGOs, along with several other
\nindependent observers in European countries like Finland and
\nSweden would follow suit.<\/p>\n
Mulyana said the government should also recognize the
\nindependent Indonesian watchdog.<\/p>\n
Hadimulyo of the United Development Party agreed with Mulyana,
\nsaying that if foreigners were to be allowed to observe the
\nvarious stages of the general election, Indonesians should be
\npermitted to do the same.<\/p>\n
\"A general election is like a family party,\" he told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"If the family is determined to invite neighbors, why should
\nits own children be shoved away? Does it make sense to trust
\nother people more than your own children?\"<\/p>\n
The Independent Election Monitoring Committee, chaired by the
\nformer chief editor of the now-banned Tempo magazine, Goenawan
\nMohamad, has recruited about 2,000 volunteers to observe the
\nelection, according to Mulyana.<\/p>\n
It will focus its activities in Pematang Siantar, Palembang,
\nLampung, Jakarta, Cianjur, Semarang, Malang, and Ujungpandang, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In a statement made available to the Post, the committee
\nreiterated its \"nonpartisanship\" principle, vowing to stay
\nneutral and objective.<\/p>\n
It also vowed to avoid political activities that are against
\nthe existing rules, norms, and laws on general elections.
\n(aan\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreign-election-observers-welcomed-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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