More officials join debate on foreign observers
<p>More officials join debate on foreign observers</p><p> JAKARTA (JP): The government is slowly revealing its agenda
for the foreign observers who will be invited to monitor the May
29 general election, with more officials announcing what the
foreigners will and will not be allowed to do.</p><p>Days after the General Elections Institute announced last week
that foreign observers would be barred from investigating alleged
violations or passing judgment on them, Attorney General Singgih
said yesterday that the foreigners should not try and supervise
any stages of the general election.</p><p>Singgih, who is also chairman of the Election Supervision
Committee, said yesterday that Indonesian laws regulate the exact
nature of foreign observers' role in a general election.</p><p>"They must not supervise, investigate, much less interrogate,"
Singgih said.</p><p>Only the official supervisors would have the right, for
instance, to enter the cordoned off areas containing the polling
booths and check forms, he said, implying that the foreign
observers would be barred from doing so.</p><p>Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M., in a surprising
move, announced last week that foreign observers would be allowed
to monitor all stages of the May 29 election.</p><p>Analysts concerned about possible vote-rigging and
manipulation responded positively to the original announcement,
despite there being no clear information as to who would be
invited or what their itinerary would be.</p><p>Another high-ranking official differentiated foreign observers
from foreign supervisors. Minister of Transmigration Siswono
Yudohusodo said in Semarang yesterday that Indonesia did not need
foreigners to monitor the country's elections.</p><p>"We are capable of monitoring ourselves. The general elections
we have conducted in the past went well. We don't need foreign
supervisors."</p><p>He said that the Indonesians needed to see for themselves that
the general election was safe, smooth and free from disturbances.
"By inviting foreign supervisors, it's as if we have suspicious
aspects to our general election.</p><p>"By inviting foreign supervisors, we are giving the impression
that our past elections were rife with manipulation, while they
were not. Besides, what if the foreigners then conduct
investigations and meddle in the voting. It's not good at all.</p><p>"Foreign observers are welcome. But not supervisors. Observers
are okay because our country has been observed by other countries
already. There are plenty of foreign journalists working freely
here, and they can be considered foreign observers, too. This is
an open country," he said.</p><p>Political analyst Soehardjo S.S. of the Semarang-based
Diponegoro University objected to the plan to invite foreign
observers. "What do they know? They could only be familiar with
general elections in their own country. Our country is different
from theirs," he said.</p><p>He said Indonesia already has laws that guide the general
elections, and that as long as its people follow the laws, they
do not need foreign supervisors.</p><p>"We are a mature nation already and we can supervise
ourselves. Besides, the general elections have now become a
source of entertainment for our people," he said. (swe/05/har)</p>
for the foreign observers who will be invited to monitor the May
29 general election, with more officials announcing what the
foreigners will and will not be allowed to do.</p><p>Days after the General Elections Institute announced last week
that foreign observers would be barred from investigating alleged
violations or passing judgment on them, Attorney General Singgih
said yesterday that the foreigners should not try and supervise
any stages of the general election.</p><p>Singgih, who is also chairman of the Election Supervision
Committee, said yesterday that Indonesian laws regulate the exact
nature of foreign observers' role in a general election.</p><p>"They must not supervise, investigate, much less interrogate,"
Singgih said.</p><p>Only the official supervisors would have the right, for
instance, to enter the cordoned off areas containing the polling
booths and check forms, he said, implying that the foreign
observers would be barred from doing so.</p><p>Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M., in a surprising
move, announced last week that foreign observers would be allowed
to monitor all stages of the May 29 election.</p><p>Analysts concerned about possible vote-rigging and
manipulation responded positively to the original announcement,
despite there being no clear information as to who would be
invited or what their itinerary would be.</p><p>Another high-ranking official differentiated foreign observers
from foreign supervisors. Minister of Transmigration Siswono
Yudohusodo said in Semarang yesterday that Indonesia did not need
foreigners to monitor the country's elections.</p><p>"We are capable of monitoring ourselves. The general elections
we have conducted in the past went well. We don't need foreign
supervisors."</p><p>He said that the Indonesians needed to see for themselves that
the general election was safe, smooth and free from disturbances.
"By inviting foreign supervisors, it's as if we have suspicious
aspects to our general election.</p><p>"By inviting foreign supervisors, we are giving the impression
that our past elections were rife with manipulation, while they
were not. Besides, what if the foreigners then conduct
investigations and meddle in the voting. It's not good at all.</p><p>"Foreign observers are welcome. But not supervisors. Observers
are okay because our country has been observed by other countries
already. There are plenty of foreign journalists working freely
here, and they can be considered foreign observers, too. This is
an open country," he said.</p><p>Political analyst Soehardjo S.S. of the Semarang-based
Diponegoro University objected to the plan to invite foreign
observers. "What do they know? They could only be familiar with
general elections in their own country. Our country is different
from theirs," he said.</p><p>He said Indonesia already has laws that guide the general
elections, and that as long as its people follow the laws, they
do not need foreign supervisors.</p><p>"We are a mature nation already and we can supervise
ourselves. Besides, the general elections have now become a
source of entertainment for our people," he said. (swe/05/har)</p>