Independent poll watchdog secures strong support
Independent poll watchdog secures strong support
JAKARTA (JP): Despite the government's rejection of the
Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP), the group has
secured strong support from five major student groups.
The Association of Islamic Students, the Indonesian Islamic
Students Movement, the Union of the Indonesian Catholic Students,
the Indonesian Christian Students Movement and the Indonesian
Nationalist Students Movement all gave their backing yesterday.
Also voicing its support was the Vanguards of Indonesian
Independence, a nationalist group formerly affiliated with the
Indonesian Democratic Party.
They agreed that the independent poll watchdog is needed to
give the people more say in supervising the 1997 general
election.
"The people's participation in supervising the general
election is part of the people's right to control what their
government is doing," the students said in a joint statement.
In the past, the group said, the people were not given the
opportunity to supervise the electoral process from the planning
stages to the final evaluation.
The independent poll monitoring committee was formed on March
15 by a group of prominent human rights activists, lawyers and
journalists.
Its establishment has spawned other independent watchdogs, a
new phenomenon in Indonesia's electoral history, but the
government has rejected all the committees on the grounds that
Indonesia already has the official election supervision committee
called Panwaslak.
Chief of the Catholic student union, Antonius Doni, said he
did not doubt in the slightest the legality of the independent
committee because it is a manifestation of the freedoms of
expression and assembly guaranteed in the 1945 Constitution.
"Although the general election law does not mention any
independent poll monitoring committee, KIPP is legal because the
principles of its mission are guaranteed by the Constitution," he
said.
Deputy chairman of the Islamic student association, Umar
Husein, said that different views should be prized by the
government as the country pursues democratic reforms.
"KIPP's presence should be regarded as a partner of the
official Election Monitoring Committee," he said.
The idea for an independent committee is believed to have
begun with the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP), a
minority party which alleges that cheating in past elections has
been overlooked.
Several PPP chapters in the provinces last year threatened to
boycott next year's election unless the government, which backs
Golkar, guarantees fairness.
The initiative has since been taken up by private
organizations. The first "private" election monitoring committee
was set up last January in Bandung, West Java. Similar regional
committees were subsequently set up in various cities.
Meanwhile, Vanguards of Indonesian Independence chairman
Soeprapto said he welcomes the independent body. He agreed that
its formation is in line with the 1945 Constitution, which
guarantees the right of all Indonesian citizens to channel their
political aspirations.
"KIPP's formation shows that the people are really concerned
with and willing to take part in state affairs," Soeprapto was
quoted by Antara as saying yesterday.
Soeprapto, a former Jakarta governor, said the real issue is
how the new poll watchdog will channel its findings through the
government's poll monitoring committee.
In Bogor, some 60 kilometers south of Jakarta, a group of 50
student and labor activists have also established a branch of
KIPP. (imn/31)
JAKARTA (JP): Despite the government's rejection of the
Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP), the group has
secured strong support from five major student groups.
The Association of Islamic Students, the Indonesian Islamic
Students Movement, the Union of the Indonesian Catholic Students,
the Indonesian Christian Students Movement and the Indonesian
Nationalist Students Movement all gave their backing yesterday.
Also voicing its support was the Vanguards of Indonesian
Independence, a nationalist group formerly affiliated with the
Indonesian Democratic Party.
They agreed that the independent poll watchdog is needed to
give the people more say in supervising the 1997 general
election.
"The people's participation in supervising the general
election is part of the people's right to control what their
government is doing," the students said in a joint statement.
In the past, the group said, the people were not given the
opportunity to supervise the electoral process from the planning
stages to the final evaluation.
The independent poll monitoring committee was formed on March
15 by a group of prominent human rights activists, lawyers and
journalists.
Its establishment has spawned other independent watchdogs, a
new phenomenon in Indonesia's electoral history, but the
government has rejected all the committees on the grounds that
Indonesia already has the official election supervision committee
called Panwaslak.
Chief of the Catholic student union, Antonius Doni, said he
did not doubt in the slightest the legality of the independent
committee because it is a manifestation of the freedoms of
expression and assembly guaranteed in the 1945 Constitution.
"Although the general election law does not mention any
independent poll monitoring committee, KIPP is legal because the
principles of its mission are guaranteed by the Constitution," he
said.
Deputy chairman of the Islamic student association, Umar
Husein, said that different views should be prized by the
government as the country pursues democratic reforms.
"KIPP's presence should be regarded as a partner of the
official Election Monitoring Committee," he said.
The idea for an independent committee is believed to have
begun with the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP), a
minority party which alleges that cheating in past elections has
been overlooked.
Several PPP chapters in the provinces last year threatened to
boycott next year's election unless the government, which backs
Golkar, guarantees fairness.
The initiative has since been taken up by private
organizations. The first "private" election monitoring committee
was set up last January in Bandung, West Java. Similar regional
committees were subsequently set up in various cities.
Meanwhile, Vanguards of Indonesian Independence chairman
Soeprapto said he welcomes the independent body. He agreed that
its formation is in line with the 1945 Constitution, which
guarantees the right of all Indonesian citizens to channel their
political aspirations.
"KIPP's formation shows that the people are really concerned
with and willing to take part in state affairs," Soeprapto was
quoted by Antara as saying yesterday.
Soeprapto, a former Jakarta governor, said the real issue is
how the new poll watchdog will channel its findings through the
government's poll monitoring committee.
In Bogor, some 60 kilometers south of Jakarta, a group of 50
student and labor activists have also established a branch of
KIPP. (imn/31)