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Mt Sinabung evacuees' voting rights at risk
Residents taking refuge from the effects of Mount Sinabungâs eruptions in evacuation shelters in Langkat regency, North Sumatra, might not be able to cast their votes in the 2014 legislative election as the Karo General Elections Commission (KPUD) has yet to collect their data
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esidentstaking refuge from the effects of Mount Sinabung's eruptions in evacuationshelters in Langkat regency, North Sumatra, might not be able to cast theirvotes in the 2014 legislative election as the Karo General Elections Commission(KPUD) has yet to collect their data.
Many residents fled their villages in Karo regency to shelter in neighboring Langkat regency following the eruption.
'The evacuees are at risk of not being able to participate in the legislative election,' said one of the evacuees, Andreas, on Friday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
He added that of 726 evacuees at an evacuation shelter in Telagah village, Langkat , 388 were eligible voters for the upcoming elections.
Andreas said that the evacuees were also in the dark about whether they should cast their votes at polling stations near the evacuation shelters, or in their respective villages. He hoped that Karo KPUD could coordinate with Langkat KPUD to ensure those affected could participate.
Previously, Karo KPUD confirmed that victims of the Mt. Sinabung eruptions could still participate in the legislative election, which is set to take place on April 9, even though they are still living in several temporary evacuation shelters.
Officials from Karo KPUD said the commission planned to build special polling stations near Mt. Sinabung evacuation posts for victims who had not yet returned to their villages by the date of the election.
Karo KPUD chief Benjamin Pinem said the voters would be provided with facilities so that they could still cast their votes in the upcoming election. He said that special polling stations would be built around 500 meters from the evacuation locations. (idb)
