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Finishing line in sight for long distance Papuan candidates

The Papua General Elections Commission (KPUD) is distributing election materials to all 29 regencies in the country’s easternmost province, the second-last phase in the long process before the gubernatorial election on Jan

Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post)
Jayapura
Wed, January 9, 2013

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Finishing line in sight for long distance Papuan candidates

T

he Papua General Elections Commission (KPUD) is distributing election materials to all 29 regencies in the country’s easternmost province, the second-last phase in the long process before the gubernatorial election on Jan. 29.

Charter vessel KM Labobar had called at 10 regencies by Jan. 6 and the vessel is on its way to the remaining 19 regencies delivering mainly ballot papers with pictures of six governor hopefuls and their running mates.

“The electoral necessities for the 19 regencies are expected to have arrived by Jan. 12-13, 2013,” Benny Sweni, head of Papua KPUD, said.

The campaign season will start on Jan. 11, with the six pairs of candidates presenting their vision and programs and expressing their commitment to a peaceful race and accept its final result, and will end Jan. 25, with a public debate on main problems in the least developed, rich-resources province.

The gubernatorial election has been suspended for almost a year for security reasons and the power struggle between the provincial poll body and the Papuan provincial legislative council regarding the authority to prepare and organize the race.

The provincial legislative council formed a special committee to organize the election as it has claims the authority to do under the 2001 Papuan Special Autonomy Law. The election should have been held long before July 11, 2012, the day Governor Barnabas Suebu’s term of office ended.

The Constitutional Court ordered the legislative council to dissolve the special committee and affirmed the provincial election body’s full authority in organizing the race in accordance with the 1945 Constitution, 2011 General Election Law and the 2004 Regional Administration Law.

The Constitutional Court’s verdict drew thumb-up signals from the government and political analysts who said Papuan people were awaiting a new leader to serve them and develop the disadvantaged province.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto insisted the race had to go on.

J. Kristiady, a political analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said the absence of any rejection from the people of the provincial poll body was a demonstration that the people accepted the election and wanted a new, strong leader to speed up development through the 2001 Special
Autonomy Law.

Many have blamed the slow development program in the past decade on corrupt Papuan leaders.

Security authorities vowed to deploy an adequate personnel to maintain order, especially during the campaign season and polling day.

Deputy provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said after leading a security meeting with the provincial election commission that he had approached all six pairs of candidates and their supporting parties to ensure their commitment to a peaceful election and acceptance of the results.

Barnabas, whose bid for reelection fell away through lack of support, said he and his running mate John Tabo would sue the provincial elections commission in the State Administrative Court.

The provincial poll body decided to prevent Barnabas’s reelection bid since the latter gained only 7 percent support from parties in the provincial legislative council. Eligible candidates are required to gain at least 15 percent.

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