24 organizations receive UNDP funds for elections
JAKARTA (JP): The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced the contribution of US$36 million to 24 Indonesian organizations for electoral activities.
In a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Thursday, UNDP said the largest share of the funds was received by the General Elections Commission. The commission will receive $30 million for technical and material electoral infrastructure support.
UNDP would provide funds for ballot papers, indelible ink, a national tally room for election-eve results, an official tabulation system and training for poll workers, the statement said.
Funds allocated to the Independent Monitoring Election Committee (KIPP) for independent poll monitoring activities comprised Rp 2.7 billion ($315,000), the University Network for a Free and Fair Election received Rp 5.1 billion and an additional amount still under discussion was for the Rector's Forum. The latter comprises campus community members.
"A total of $9 million has been earmarked for monitoring," the release said.
UNDP earlier announced that among several private poll monitoring bodies it had named the above three as intended fund recipients.
For voter education, UNDP said it had selected 21 non- governmental organizations, which would receive about Rp 41.9 billion.
Recipients include the Indonesian Alliance of Election Monitoring in West Sumatra, which targets traditional community leaders, first-time voters, civil servants, military members, villagers and illiterate people.
Another recipient is Almanak Parpol Indonesia, a group preparing an almanac on political parties, which targets politicians, academics and students.
Five womens' groups among the recipients include Muslimat Nahdlatul Ulama with a mainly rural constituency and the Women's Movement of Elections Awareness, an umbrella group, which, among others, comprise the national women's organization, Kowani.
Two journalist organizations on the list are PWI Reformasi and the Indonesian Television Journalists Association.
Two bodies covering industrial workers supported by UNDP are the Workers Solidarity Forum in Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Palembang and Medan and the Union of All Indonesian Workers in North and South Sumatra and West Kalimantan.
Three research centers on the list include the South Sulawesi Community Development Studies Center and the LP3ES which works with grass root communities across the country.
Four foundations listed as recipients include the Foundation for Legal Aid and Education which covers rural and small towns in Lampung, South Sumatra.
The Indonesian Family Planning Association and the Association of Muslim Students, both with mostly urban coverage, are also recipients. (anr)
THE JAKARTA POST -- FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1999 -- PAGE 2