Floods ruin poll, 1,000 votes lost

Floods ruin poll, 1,000 votes lost

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Two polling stations in the Hedam
subdistrict in Abepura district, Jayapura, failed to function
because of flooding.

"All evidence of voter registration also went under water," a
committee official, Yance Lali, told The Jakarta Post.

Some residents were too overwhelmed with sorrow over the loss
to vote while others managed to cast votes at other polling
stations unaffected by the flooding. Election committee officials
were seen busy seeking other places for the refugees to vote.

Hedam district chief Elisabet Tan said more than 1,000 voters
from 543 households failed to exercise their rights, adding that
one man, Sakarias Sudir, had gone missing.

Meanwhile in Serui, capital of Yapen Waropen regency, two
women fainted in waiting crowds as polls began at 11 a.m.

Antara reported that the Cendrawasih University deployed 921
poll watch volunteers in Jayapura regency and the Jayapura
township. The University Network for Free and Fair Elections
(Unfrel) deployed 354 volunteers for the other 13 regencies. (34)