UNAMET registration rules come under fire<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): The United Nations Mission in East
\nTimor (UNAMET) is facing mounting demands from East Timorese to
\nsoften its regulation requiring voters in next month's self-
\ndetermination ballot to show at least two pieces of documentation
\nto register.<\/p>\n
The East Timor Students and Forum for Monitoring of the Direct
\nBallot (FORMATU JPI) said in a statement on Monday that UN
\nregistration centers in Jakarta and Yogyakarta have rejected
\nseveral voters because they were able to produce only one
\nidentification document.<\/p>\n
\"Up to today, in Yogyakarta alone, 23 voters have been
\nofficially registered, while 10 other were rejected because they
\ndo not have complete documents,\" UNAMET spokesman Filipe
\nRedriques Periera said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Aspiring voters are not allowed to register if they only have
\neither an identity card (KTP), student card, driving license or
\npassport. They must also show at least one other certificate,
\nsuch as a certificate of baptism, birth, marriage, any of these
\nfrom a parent, or identity documents from the Portuguese
\ngovernment called cedule de vida crista or cedula pessoal.<\/p>\n
Many resident in East Timor, like those living outside the
\nprovince, have also complained, saying they only have the KTP,
\ndriving license or student card. The UN body fears such documents
\ncan easily be manipulated.<\/p>\n
UNAMET spokesman David Wimhurst reiterated on Monday the
\norganization would not approve registration for any voters if
\nthey were able to show only one of these documents.<\/p>\n
Wimhurst said UNAMET would remain firm on its decision that
\nEast Timorese should present proof of both identity and
\neligibility.<\/p>\n
\"We do not have any intention to complicate matters for the
\nvoters, but as proof that they are truly East Timorese they must
\nshow the required documents,\" Wimhurst said.<\/p>\n
UNAMET says the requirements have been drawn up by electoral
\nexperts.<\/p>\n
Wimhurst confirmed that a registration center in Cassa
\nvillage, Ainaro regency, about 50 kilometers south of Dili, was
\nclosed on Sunday after members of the prointegration militia
\nMahidi (an Indonesian acronym for \"Live or Die for Integration\")
\ntried to force UN officials to register them with only KTP
\ndocuments.<\/p>\n
\"As a result the district electoral officers and the regional
\nheadquarters decided to close down the registration site ... (as)
\ntheir presence was considered intimidating,\" Wimhurst said.<\/p>\n
According to UNAMET, eligible voters for the referendum must
\nbe 17 or older, born in East Timor or with at least one parent
\nborn in East Timor, or be the spouse of such a person.<\/p>\n
Prominent prointegration leaders Eurico Guterres, Bobonaro
\nRegent Guiherme dos Santos and East Timor council speaker Armindo
\nSoares Mariano are among UNAMET's critics.<\/p>\n
\"As Bobonaro regent I can ask my people to boycott the direct
\nballot,\" Dos Santos said.<\/p>\n
Armindo said only Catholics could get a certificate from
\nchurch and that the requirement discriminates against East
\nTimorese of other faiths. He said Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus
\nhave the same rights as Catholics, who are the majority of the
\nprovince's 800,000 population.<\/p>\n
\"KTP alone must be adequate. Everybody knows that I am a
\nnative East Timorese,\" said the provincial speaker.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, farmer Mario Pereira, 40, was kidnapped by an armed
\ngroup in Maubara, Liquica regency, as he returned from a post of
\npro-Indonesia militia Red and White Iron.<\/p>\n
\"He was on the way to his home to get his birth certificate
\nbefore visiting the registration center,\" East Timor Police
\nspokesman Capt. Widodo said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Widodo said the 50-strong group was equipped with firearms and
\nsharp weapons.<\/p>\n
On Friday, about 300 proindependence youths from Raitahu and
\nCaraubalo subdistricts attacked nearby Beobe villagers, injuring
\nAngelo Soares.<\/p>\n
The state news agency also reported that an armed
\nproindependence group, Falintil, tore up an Indonesian flag
\nhoisted in a public school in Leorema subdistrict, Liquica, on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
\"Twenty-six Falintil members lowered the flag and then tore it
\ninto two pieces,\" the news agency reported.(33\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unamet-registration-rules-come-under-fire-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}