---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- ANTARA, JULY 23 1999 E. Timor: Governor Asks UNAMET To Simplify Registration Requirements Dili, July 22 (ANTARA)-East Timor governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares has asked the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) to simplify registration requirements for the UN-administered direct ballot, following objections voiced by East Timorese people lately. Soares conveyed his request to UNAMET chief Ian Martin at a meeting on Wednesday evening (Jul 21) with coverage by state-owned TV station, TVRI. The ballot registration itself was started July 16 and to last 20 days. It would be followed by a two-week campaigning period before eligible East Timorese voters give their votes on August 21 or 22. "We suggested to UNAMET to simplify the requirements for registration because most of the people here are farmers. The easier requirement would help them reduce the problems in the registration process, so that they don't have to leave their job too long," the governor said. In respone, Martin promised to ease the requirements as he himself had also seen developments in the field. Soares also suggested that UNAMET set up more registration posts in East Timor to make it easier for people living in remote areas to reach the registration stations. The UNAMET had so far established 200 registration centers in all of East Timor's 13 districts. The governor told Martin that a number of district administration chiefs had received complaints from the people on the difficult procedures they had to follow in registering for the popular consultation. Some UNAMET officials had also recognized the problems. The pro-integration "Dead or Alive With Integration" (MAHIDI) group in the village of Kassa, Ainaro district, about 116 km south of here, early this week raised objections to the registration requirements. "On Sunday (Jul 18) morning, a MAHIDI member in Kassa, Ainaro, came to the registration post and expressed objection to the requirements. He said the registration should require only a KTP (IdentityCard) and nothing else," UNAMET spokesperson David Wimhurst said here Monday (Jul 19). The objections raised by the MAHIDI member prompted the UNAMET to close the registration post in Kassa on the third day of the registration period. The post resumed was reopened the next day. Meanwhile, a number of pro-integration figures, including militia leader Eurico Gutteres, Bobonaro district had Guilherme dos Santos and Provincial Legislative Assembly chairman Armindo Soares Mariano even threatened that they and their colleagues would not register for the voting, if the UNAMET insisted on more than one identity documents. "I don't need to participate in the registration, and as Bobonaro chief I will tell my people not to participate in the registration," said Guilherme dos Santos early this week. Under the registration rules observed by UNAMET so far, any East Timorese wishing to register for the direct ballot must show at least two documents, namely a KTP (resident's identity card) and other papers stating that the person concerned has the right to vote. The document showing identity could be an Indonesian passport, Portuguese refugee card, national passport, population list and student card. Furthermore, documents required to show that one was eligible to vote in the popular consultation included baptism certificate, birth certificate of parents and deed issued by a notary public during the Portuquese rule in East Timor "Cedula da Vida Crista" and "Cedula Pessoal". Not having any of the documents mentioned above,a Timorese can still register provided he or she takes an oath and prepares an affidavit legalized and witnessed by a religious leader or village chief. (T.PTU-05/DLI-PK01/NN07/INT-AJM-22:10/nn-03/TB02) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 27 Jul 1999 jam 06:10:19 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
