RI, UNDP sign foreign help agreement
JAKARTA (JP): An agreement to provide foreign assistance for voter education, election monitoring and promoting public awareness of new political bills and other programs related to the elections was signed on Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
So far 14 countries have stated their commitment to contribute to the program organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The memorandum of understanding on the agreement was signed by Minister Ali Alatas and UNDP Resident Representative Ravi Rajan.
The minister said the funds were not intended to cover costs of the elections slated for June this year, estimated at Rp 1.3 trillion.
"The fund is only for financing technical assistance cooperation. It is not for funding the upcoming election," he told reporters after signing the agreement.
Rajan said the UNDP was "honored" to be called upon by the government to provide technical assistance to the electoral process here. "The free expression of choice by a people in selecting their representations is always an inspiring event," Rajan said.
Alatas said such international assistance should not be construed as foreign intervention in domestic affairs.
The assistance will also be used to facilitate international observation, he said.
The minister added that provision of the assistance would be conducted in an accountable and transparent manner.
Rajan estimated the funds would range from US$7 million to $10 million.
He said the UNDP has conducted a program of mobilizing international support to enhance the administrative and management ability of the election bodies, including the General Election Commission (KPU) and non-governmental electoral watchdogs.
Among countries which have pledged their contribution to the UNDP are Japan, the United States, France and the European Union.
"We believe that a free and fair election will bring about many benefits to the country, particularly in restoring political and economic stability in Indonesia," Rajan said.
Meanwhile, Finnish envoy to Indonesia Hannu Himanen said his government has given FIM1 million (about US$194,00) to the UNDP to help finance the electoral program in Indonesia.
Finland also intends to cooperate with major non-governmental organizations to conduct independent poll monitoring, he said.
On Wednesday Antara reported that the National Citizen's Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) of the Philippines intended to observe the polls here.
Namfrel chairman Jose Concepcion Jr told Golkar legislators on Wednesday that the organization was also acting on the request of various non-governmental groups here.
He said that based on Namfrel's observations of elections in several countries, those which managed to conduct free and fair elections were those with full authority over the entire electoral process, the agency reported, "including provision of security by the military".
Compared to developments ahead of the 1997 elections, the last under the former president Soeharto, independent and foreign observers are no longer under suspicion from the government.
Separately in a discussion on politics, Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, urged for political parties and independent observers to give assurances of supervision over the electoral process. (01/edt)