Geographics, illiteracy threaten election in Papua

Geographics, illiteracy threaten election in Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

Contrary to the general fear that security issues could be the
major threat to the success of the 2004 general elections in
Papua, a local election official cited the province's
geographical condition as the most serious electoral constraint.

General Elections Commission (KPU) Papua secretary Sangadji
added that Papua's high illiteracy rate was another problem that
the KPU must tackle to ensure that the 2004 general elections
stay on track.

Sangadji told a visiting KPU team from Jakarta last week to
pay special attention to the province, because many cities and
remote regencies could only be reached by plane.

"Don't look at Papua the way you look at Java because
geographical condition here is very severe. It takes a longer
time and a larger amount of money to complete just one of the
stages in the election process," he told KPU team leader Daan
Dimara.

Besides this, when bringing residents of remote areas to the
polling booth, their expenses for food must also be paid by the
KPU, Sangaji said.

He explained that villages are located far one from another,
and that there were usually only four families to a village.

As it is not feasible to set up a polling booth at each
village, the KPU plans to set up booths only in key locations.

Due to the distance and geographical factors involved, it is
expected that Papuans travel on foot to polling booths and stay
for a day or two in makeshift shelters to be erected nearby.

The shelter and food provided by the KPU are intended to
encourage Papuans to travel the long distances in order to vote.

"If these conditions are not taken into account by KPU
headquarters, we are afraid that at the most, only 30 percent of
voters will turn up," Sangaji said.

Papua consists of 26 regencies and two mayoralties, many of
which are situated in mountainous areas and can only be reached
by air transportation. Only those regencies located in coastal
areas can be reached by boat.

The distance is not only a challenge for the voters, but also
for KPU officials.

Similar complaints were also voiced by the KPU Kerom head Budi
Setyanto. The newly established regency is situated about 60
kilometers to the east of provincial capital Jayapura.

In Kerom, four of its five districts can be reached over land
despite bad road conditions. However, the Web district, which
borders Papua New Guinea, can only be reached by plane.

"It costs Rp 8 million to charter a helicopter to fly there,
so including the return trip, we will need Rp 16 million just for
Kerom alone," said Budi.

He said it was much easier for electoral officials during
Soeharto's New Order era, because they did not need to spend
energy trying to reach voters. "Officials didn't need to go to
remote villages. They only counted the number of prospective
voters in a village and then punched the ballot on the voters'
behalf at the subdistrict office."

This indirect method of voting was perpetuated by electoral
officials in the past to influence the outcome in favor of the
New Order regime.

As for the illiteracy issue, 63 percent of the 2.2 million of
Papua population above 15 years old cannot read or write. At a
simulated election conducted on Oct. 23 in Skanto district in
cooperation with non-governmental organizations, like the Center
for Electoral Reform (CETRO), it was found that most polling
errors were made by illiterate voters.

"It will be a problem with such a great number of illiterate
voters come election time," said Budi.