KIPP plans to monitor next year's elections<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Independent Election Monitoring Committee
\n(KIPP), which reported numerous violations in the 1997 elections,
\nhas started planning to watch over the upcoming election
\nscheduled for May 1999.<\/p>\n
KIPP coordinator Mulyana W. Kusumah told a conference on
\nelection monitoring on Tuesday of the committee's preparations.<\/p>\n
\"We are now still strengthening and expanding the
\norganization,\" he said, adding that his organization had 9,000
\nvolunteers in 47 cities in 14 provinces.<\/p>\n
Consolidation efforts within KIPP, advocacy of political
\nrights and the monitoring of democratic institutions are among
\nthe ongoing preparations, he said.<\/p>\n
Mulyana helped launch KIPP in March 1996 to monitor the 1997
\ngeneral election with the help of activists, academicians and
\nlegal experts.<\/p>\n
Senior journalist Goenawan Mohamad, who hosted the conference,
\nis KIPP's chairman.<\/p>\n
The independent monitoring body is the first of its kind in
\nIndonesia and was never accredited by the Soeharto regime.<\/p>\n
It is not clear if the Habibie administration will recognize
\nthe organization to watch over the upcoming election.<\/p>\n
The two-day conference also featured political scientist Arbi
\nSanit, legal expert Soetandyo Wignjosoebroto and representatives
\nfrom the Philippines and Thailand who shared experiences on their
\nelection monitoring efforts.<\/p>\n
The talks end on Wednesday at the Jakarta Design Center in
\nCentral Jakarta and features, among others, Ryaas Rasyid, the
\nMinistry of Home Affair's director general of regional autonomy
\nand public administration.<\/p>\n
The draft law on general elections, submitted by the
\ngovernment to the House of Representatives on Sept. 16, states in
\narticle 16 that a supervising body is to be set up to ensure free
\nand fair elections at all administrative levels.<\/p>\n
The draft was compiled by a seven-member government team of
\npolitical scientists headed by Ryaas.<\/p>\n
In ongoing discussions at the working committee of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly, members of an ad-hoc committee
\nagreed last week to the need of an independent monitoring body.<\/p>\n
Government critics, analysts and rights activists have said
\nthat previous general elections were full of distortions and
\nviolations given the absence of an independent party monitoring
\nelections.<\/p>\n
KIPP reported 25 types of violations in the 1997 election,
\nincluding intimidation of monitors and vote-rigging.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Chris Monsod of the Philippines National Movement
\nfor Free Elections (NAMFREL) said in 1986, Namfrel identified and
\nhighlighted abuses committed by supporters of former dictator
\nFerdinand Marcos and reported results suggesting a victory by
\nMarcos' opponent Corazon Aquino.<\/p>\n
Inspired by NAMFREL, the Thailand Poll Watch was set up to
\nmonitor Thailand's March 1992 election, Sakool Zuesongdham of the
\nmonitoring body said.<\/p>\n
Monitoring elections, he said, was only possible where \"civic
\norganizations are strong enough to take responsibilities on the
\ntasks expected by the people\".<\/p>\n
\"The involvement of people in each step...to bring in good and
\ncapable representatives is therefore a must in democracy,
\nparticularly within a country where democracy is new to the
\npublic,\" Sakool said. (byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kipp-plans-to-monitor-next-years-elections-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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