Goenawan chairs new independent poll watchdog<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More than 50 journalists, lawyers, statesmen and
\nactivists founded the Independent Election Monitoring Committee
\n(KIPP) yesterday in defiance of a military warning that their
\nmove is \"unconstitutional.\"<\/p>\n
Senior journalist and former chief editor of the banned Tempo
\nmagazine Goenawan Mohamad, who chairs the presidium, said the
\ncommittee, with its eye on next year's general election, aims to
\nmake \"corrections\" to the way the polls have been held in the
\npast.<\/p>\n
\"With all due respect to the efforts made since 1971 in
\nimproving the election mechanism, we have to admit that there are
\nshortcomings that need correcting,\" Goenawan said.<\/p>\n
\"Improving the mechanism must involve the people's
\nparticipation because it is the people's voice that counts in
\nelections. Their participation is also a concrete form of
\npolitical education,\" according to the statement signed by
\nGoenawan and Secretary General Mulyana Kusumah.<\/p>\n
The long awaited announcement was made at the Cafe Venezia
\nbefore approximately 200 people, from various organizations and
\nprofessions, including human rights activists, legal aid workers,
\npoliticians, journalists and students.<\/p>\n
Goenawan heads an 11-person presidium of mostly activists from
\nvarious non-governmental organizations.<\/p>\n
The committee draws its strength from the presence of more
\nthan 40 senior statesmen, lawyers, intellectuals and activists on
\nits board of advisors.<\/p>\n
The advisors include Adnan Buyung Nasution, Soekardjo
\nAdidjojo, Amartiwi Saleh, Nurcholish Madjid, S.K. Trimurti, Arbi
\nSanit, Arief Budiman, Ali Sadikin, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, Permadi
\nSatrio Wiwoho, Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, Zoemrotin K. Soesilo
\nand Muchtar Pakpahan. And the list is growing, the committee
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"The establishment of the committee reflects our desire to
\nvoluntarily contribute to the processes of democracy, and support
\nthe call for an honest and fair election through a direct and
\nsecret ballot,\" the statement read.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung last week said the plan
\nto establish an election monitoring committee outside the
\nofficial election framework is \"unconstitutional\". At the time he
\ndid not spell out what moves the military would take if the
\nactivists went ahead with the plan.<\/p>\n
The idea for an independent election committee originated with
\nthe United Development Party which said that cheating in previous
\nelections had gone unpunished.<\/p>\n
The initiative has since been taken up by private
\norganizations, and several have been set up in various cities.
\nThe committee under Goenawan is by far the most credible in terms
\nof the personnel involved.<\/p>\n
Goenawan said the committee will recruit and train volunteers
\nto help in monitoring the elections, write up reports for the
\npublic, organize discussions and research work, and conduct
\npolls. The KIPP secretariat also welcomes reports from members of
\nthe public who are aware of election malpractice.<\/p>\n
The committee is prepared to work with other, similar,
\ncommittees that have been established in cities such as Banda
\nAceh, Lampung, Yogyakarta, Bali, Bandung, Manado, Surakarta,
\nJakarta and Ujungpandang.<\/p>\n
Goenawan said the committee does not have any permanent source
\nof income to finance its activities. \"For the time being, we are
\nfunding our activities through personal contributions.\"<\/p>\n
Nurcholish Madjid, a respected Moslem intellectual who is on
\nthe board of advisors, said the committee is not obliged to have
\ngovernment approval. \"This is an independent body,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The committee should be seen as part of the current move
\ntowards a civil society, in which people participate in the
\ndecision-making processes and have the right to fair treatment by
\nthe state apparatus, he said. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/goenawan-chairs-new-independent-poll-watchdog-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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