RI, UNDP sign foreign help agreement

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)