---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- The Jakarta Post, 20 July 1999 UNAMET registration rules come under fire DILI, East Timor (JP): The United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) is facing mounting demands from East Timorese to soften its regulation requiring voters in next month's self-determination ballot to show at least two pieces of documentation to register. The East Timor Students and Forum for Monitoring of the Direct Ballot (FORMATU JPI) said in a statement on Monday that UN registration centers in Jakarta and Yogyakarta have rejected several voters because they were able to produce only one identification document. "Up to today, in Yogyakarta alone, 23 voters have been officially registered, while 10 other were rejected because they do not have complete documents," UNAMET spokesman Filipe Redriques Periera said in a statement. Aspiring voters are not allowed to register if they only have either an identity card (KTP), student card, driving license or passport. They must also show at least one other certificate, such as a certificate of baptism, birth, marriage, any of these from a parent, or identity documents from the Portuguese government called cedule de vida crista or cedula pessoal. Many resident in East Timor, like those living outside the province, have also complained, saying they only have the KTP, driving license or student card. The UN body fears such documents can easily be manipulated. UNAMET spokesman David Wimhurst reiterated on Monday the organization would not approve registration for any voters if they were able to show only one of these documents. Wimhurst said UNAMET would remain firm on its decision that East Timorese should present proof of both identity and eligibility. "We do not have any intention to complicate matters for the voters, but as proof that they are truly East Timorese they must show the required documents," Wimhurst said. UNAMET says the requirements have been drawn up by electoral experts. Wimhurst confirmed that a registration center in Cassa village, Ainaro regency, about 50 kilometers south of Dili, was closed on Sunday after members of the prointegration militia Mahidi (an Indonesian acronym for "Live or Die for Integration") tried to force UN officials to register them with only KTP documents. "As a result the district electoral officers and the regional headquarters decided to close down the registration site ... (as) their presence was considered intimidating," Wimhurst said. According to UNAMET, eligible voters for the referendum must be 17 or older, born in East Timor or with at least one parent born in East Timor, or be the spouse of such a person. Prominent prointegration leaders Eurico Guterres, Bobonaro Regent Guiherme dos Santos and East Timor council speaker Armindo Soares Mariano are among UNAMET's critics. "As Bobonaro regent I can ask my people to boycott the direct ballot," Dos Santos said. Armindo said only Catholics could get a certificate from church and that the requirement discriminates against East Timorese of other faiths. He said Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus have the same rights as Catholics, who are the majority of the province's 800,000 population. "KTP alone must be adequate. Everybody knows that I am a native East Timorese," said the provincial speaker. Meanwhile, farmer Mario Pereira, 40, was kidnapped by an armed group in Maubara, Liquica regency, as he returned from a post of pro-Indonesia militia Red and White Iron. "He was on the way to his home to get his birth certificate before visiting the registration center," East Timor Police spokesman Capt. Widodo said as quoted by Antara. Widodo said the 50-strong group was equipped with firearms and sharp weapons. On Friday, about 300 proindependence youths from Raitahu and Caraubalo subdistricts attacked nearby Beobe villagers, injuring Angelo Soares. The state news agency also reported that an armed proindependence group, Falintil, tore up an Indonesian flag hoisted in a public school in Leorema subdistrict, Liquica, on Saturday. "Twenty-six Falintil members lowered the flag and then tore it into two pieces," the news agency reported. (33/prb) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 22 Jul 1999 jam 05:33:27 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
