Unfrel has doubts about poll security<\/p>\n
DEPOK, West Java (JP): Just three weeks ahead of the June 7
\ngeneral election, a leading independent poll watch organization
\nwarned on Wednesday of various shortcomings, including a lack of
\nsecurity guarantees and continuing calls for a boycott in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The University Network for Free and Fair Elections (Unfrel)
\nrevealed a report that members of proreferendum groups in Aceh
\nwere keeping up pressure on people to boycott the polls.<\/p>\n
Officials have said that unsettled grievances over the 1989 to
\n1998 military operations and other military actions, in which
\nsoldiers were also killed, have led to growing calls for a
\nreferendum to determine whether the Acehnese want independence.<\/p>\n
Unfrel quoted reports from its branches in Aceh, saying that
\nout of 11 regencies, three regencies -- Pidie, North Aceh and
\nEast Aceh -- were considered the most vulnerable to unrest.<\/p>\n
At least 41 were killed in a recent military raid in North
\nAceh which the military said was conducted in self-defense
\nagainst rebels. Children were among the fatalities.<\/p>\n
In the three regencies, voter registration was reportedly less
\nthan 15 percent, he said.<\/p>\n
An official at the National Elections Committee said on
\nThursday that less than 20 percent of the population in the three
\nregencies had registered. The committee estimates that some 50
\npercent of Aceh's 2,315,224 million eligible voters have
\nregistered.<\/p>\n
\"Our biggest concern now is security,\" Todung said. \"We still
\nbelieve that polls can be run in Aceh. But what will happen
\nnext?\"<\/p>\n
About 900 poll watchers are stationed in Aceh, Todung said.
\nThe number of polling places across the country has yet to be
\nrevealed by the National Elections Committee.<\/p>\n
Unfrel's 22 chapters have so far enlisted some 60,000
\nvolunteers from its target of 150,000 poll watchers.<\/p>\n
Representatives of the chapters were meeting in Depok, West
\nJava, to map out areas to be monitored in the polls.<\/p>\n
Todung, also deputy chairman of the Elections Supervisory
\nCommittee (Panwaslu) said indications of cheating showed that the
\nestimation that most of 130 million eligible voters had
\nregistered was too high.<\/p>\n
He cited reports of \"mobilization\" of voter registration by a
\ncertain party, and registration by one person on behalf of
\nseveral residents in Badung, Bali, which is not allowed.<\/p>\n
He added that the supervisory committee had sent a letter to
\nthe Provincial Elections Committee in Bali instructing it to
\nrepeat registration in Badung.<\/p>\n
He said there were similar reports from other provinces.<\/p>\n
Last week, the National Elections Committee estimated that
\nabout 75 percent eligible voters had registered.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Foundation of the Indonesian
\nLegal Aid Institute (YLBHI), Bambang Widjojanto, blamed the
\npolitical laws for money politics, saying there were too many
\nloopholes. \"The penalty is too small,\" he told Antara.<\/p>\n
The law on political parties puts a Rp 15 million limit on
\nannual contributions from individuals and Rp 150 million from
\ncorporate bodies. The maximum penalty for breaking the law is 30
\ndays imprisonment and a Rp 100 million fine. The law does not
\nstipulate a minimum penalty. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unfrel-has-doubts-about-poll-security-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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