Prepared by
Iraqi Democratic Future
Network represented by Tammuz Organization for Social Development
Introduction :
The
process of voter registration is the first phase of the elections, lies in
the fact that it related to the process of updating the voter registry, and
to correct errors. As known to have a promising record, depending on the
ration card database, for this by the Independent Electoral Commission in
the period May 25 until 10/ June/ 2009, the opening of 89 registration
centers throughout the regions of Iraq and the Kurdistan region of five of
them in Baghdad. A review of the citizens of those centers would include
checking the validity of the information contained in the Register, and the
addition of legal age (18 years) before the elections (the elections of a
chairman and parliamentary elections for the province of Kurdistan), write
the names of the dead, as well as changing the polling stations, according
to housing people. The accomplishment of all this allows the Office to
calculate the number of voters in each of the provinces of the region and
the adoption of the updated statements.
The main target to this process is
(the preparation of electoral roll to ensure the principle of a respected
voice and one vote one) This is in addition to the participation of voters
and the administration of the electoral process by the Electoral Commission,
as well as the role of professionalism and community organizations in
monitoring the elections and to guarantee fair and transparent elections.
In order to protect the voice of the voter and provide the confidence
and strengthening the electoral process and allay the fears of citizens from
fraud and the impact of power and influence over the electoral process, in
order to enable every citizen to cast his vote in his election, and do not
get to vote repeatedly, it was still in Iraqi civil society organizations
and international role significantly in the control laws and stages of the
election.
Iraqi Democratic future Network represented by
Tammuz Organization for Social development
is one of the most prominent organizations that
have contributed to the control of the four electoral processes that took
place in Iraq for the period from 2004 - 2009, which monitored the elections
today in the Kurdistan region of Iraq (the elections of the President of the
province of Kurdistan parliament and elections), where it is explained in
this report control for the first phase of elections and control centers,
which is the amount of voter registration centers in 89 provinces across the
region including the five centers, which opened for Kordstanyen located in
Baghdad. As many as 116 observers from the Organization on the control of
those centers, which opened during the period 25 May – 10/ June/ 2009.
It should be noted that the report covers the
monitoring of the main observations of our own as well as the main
activities related to the process of voter registration and our preparations
for the election process at all levels. This has varied through the control
by our own voluntary and is being included in the observation posts, and
short visits, and recording observations, and meetings with citizens. That
report has been prepared based on reports submitted by observers and those
which were based on the questions in accordance with international standards
used in surveillance and in special forms of the 896 form was adopted as
sources for this report.
Role of the Organization during the process of
updating the register of voters:
- The Organization continued to monitor the preparations for the elections,
and the creation of requirements necessary for this, and to continue their
relationship with the Independent High Electoral Commission, and
coordination of continuing with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Germany.
- Registration of observers in the UNHCR offices in the governorates of the
region (Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Dohuk).
- The organization has developed an action plan for the control of the
process for the specified period, and the deployment of observers on the
voter registration centers in the governorates of the Kurdistan region and
the 84 centers in the province, and five centers in Baghdad.
- July, the Organization of an awareness campaign to encourage citizens to
participate in the process of updating the voter registry in collaboration
with the Office of the Independent High Electoral Commission in Arbil, and a
number of civil society organizations have been printed and paste the table
for the names of centers and the registration of voters and citizens to
review the call centers and educate the importance of this process order to
ensure participation in the upcoming elections.
- Distribution of a large number of publications on the importance of voter
registration and to invite citizens to participate, through the direct
distribution of such publications to citizens, especially those who are
re-examining the medical clinics of Tammuz two in Arbil, who is popular with
almost daily references per cent.
-
Preparing periodic
reports on the progress of the process of updating the register of voters in
the province of Kurdistan.
Most notable on the conduct of the process of updating the register of
voters:
1. Place the process of updating the register of voters had gone smoothly
and the cooperation of the UNHCR staff in the centers.
2. Noted the existence of cooperation and acceptance of the presence of
observers from civil society organizations by the Electoral Commission.
3. Noted the presence of agents of some of the competing political entities,
most probably, the list of agents and the so-called reform or change the
list.
4. The turnout and the range of voters before the registration centers,
these numbers have increased dramatically with the near end of the deadline
for voter registration in a number of voter registration centers in the
cities.
5. Commitment of staff working at the registration time limit for opening
and closing of voter registration centers, the centers that were opened up
on Friday.
6. Been updated to extend the register of voters for another two days, that
is, until June 9, according to the announcement, the Electoral Commission,
but has been extended also to the process on 6-10 without informing the
observers or the announcement of that.
7. Noted the presence of a number of security forces within the registration
centers, and noted the entry of unauthorized people inside the centers.
8. Provision is also some of our own forms of electoral violence, where the
list of reform (change) on the exposure of candidates and their supporters
to a direct threat by the security forces and two in an attempt to
intimidate and silence the candidates, according to the Chairman of the
list, which confirmed that the continuation of these attempts will make them
resort to the law and the prosecution of Kurdistan Alliance List.
The
table below shows the merger of the answers received reports of the
observers, who reached the total number (896 reports), during the period of
the modernization of the total registered voters of the 5-25 through
10/6/2009, to have a clearer picture of the process:
|
Sir. |
Qus. |
yes |
no |
-
|
Is the location of the registration
center easily?
|
100% |
0 % |
-
|
Is there adequate protection from
security forces on the status of registration? |
100% |
0 % |
-
|
Has there been a threat to the voters
or accidents on or within the status register? |
0 % |
100% |
-
|
Does the presence of members of the
Panel of the status of registration in a timely manner?
|
99% |
1% |
-
|
Does the presence of agents of
political entities at the center of registration? |
94% |
6% |
-
|
Does the presence of domestic
observers were at the center of the registration? |
57% |
43% |
-
|
Is the payment of any observer of the
status of registration?
|
0 % |
100% |
-
|
Are there all the core subjects (the
register of voters, registration forms, stationery ,...).
|
100% |
0 % |
-
|
Is the opening of registration in a
timely manner? |
100% |
0 % |
-
|
Was the entry of the voter
registration center on a regular basis?
|
96% |
4% |
-
|
Does the presence of unauthorized
persons within the Center for registration? |
9% |
91% |
-
|
Have you been searching for the name
of the voter in the register enough voters, and is checked
identity papers with the name of the voter?
|
100% |
0 % |
-
|
Have there been cases of multiple
recording (bis register)? |
0 % |
100% |
-
|
Is one allowed to register on behalf
of the other?
|
71% |
29% |
-
|
Have you been to add the names of the
same conservative voters who are not listed in the register of
electors? |
94,5% |
5,5% |
-
|
Does the presence of security forces
within the Center for registration? |
26 % |
74 % |
-
|
Does the presence of UNHCR staff at
the Center for the duration of the registration?
|
100% |
0 % |
-
|
Have you noted the cooperation
between UNHCR staff and voters in general and especially those
with special needs?
|
100% |
0 % |
-
|
Is the registration of a complaint? |
0 % |
100% |
-
|
Is allowed to register all the queue
standing on the last day of the registration period?
|
100% |
0 % |
-
|
Is the closing of the registration
center in a timely manner? |
90% |
10% |
-
|
Is characterized by the registration
process transparent?
|
100% |
0 % |
|
23- |
Assessment of the registration
period?
|
Very good |
It is through the study of the table above
we can give a clear picture of the observation process in general and on the
length of the registration period, as shown below:
In the question: Is the location of the
registration center easily? The answer is an absolute 100% that the centers
were clear and no new problems or objections on the location of voter
registration centers, and this shows good planning and preparedness for the
UNHCR offices in the region.
Asked whether there was a threat to the voters or accidents on or within the
Registration Center, the reports showed that there had been cases where the
threat of concrete, she said the sample (100%) for non-threat, only a
declaration from the list of reform (change) on the threat to the members of
the list, could not Our monitoring or documenting the occurrence of this
threat.
With regard to the presence of members of the Panel of the status of
registration in the time it turned out that (99%) of the respondents
answered yes, while there was (1%) of the sample indicated by the irregular
times some time.
With regard to the presence of observers in other local registration
centers, it appeared that the proportion of the presence of observers of
civil society organizations during the voter registration process was 57%.
It must be pointed out that the network of our observers have continued to
work and volunteer for the process of updating voter registration.
On the other hand, with regard to the presence of agents of political
entities have noted their interest in spite of a good extension of the voter
registration process. Recalling (94%) the presence of the agents of
political entities, with the presence of these agents was evident during
this period. It will be recalled that most of the audience were
representatives of the list of reform (change).
On the technical preparations required by the process (the register of
voters, registration forms, the materials, stationery ... etc.) have been
preparations for them, it seems, a good which is evidenced by the proportion
of yes, which amounted to (100%), and this a positive answer for the advance
preparations by the UNHCR.
In response to a question: Is the payment of any observer of the
registration centers? Showed there was no payment of any observer of the
voter registration centers, where it was reported (100%) said that it had
not disbursed any observer, and this is the case of positive attention and
must demonstrate the commitment of the staff of the Office of the laws and
respect the presence of observers of civil society organizations, as well as
for good behavior observers and staff to respect and uphold the rules of the
UNHCR and the behavior of observers from the Electoral Commission.
Regarding a question about whether there has been the entry of the
voter registration centers on a regular basis or not? The proportion (96%),
regularity of the entry point to the voters to the registration centers,
while the proportion (4%) by the irregular entry of these, where the entry
of voters observed at the same time for the Conference registration. Despite
the regularity of the process by a high, but it must be stressed on the need
to enter the attendance of voters to have to walk quietly in the
registration process affected the work of UNHCR staff, and reduce the margin
of error in the registration process, and for people to recognize that the
operation of the centers within the preparation process the next election.
And on the timing of the opening date of the registration center, the
reports of all (100%), that these centers opened in time.
Showed that the control of the register of voters and make sure papers
was good. Has shown the answer to a question in this regard that (100%)
answered yes.
In response to a question on whether the presence of persons not
authorized to be present within the registration centers, he noted (9%) of
respondents to the presence of such persons unauthorized entry and survival
within the registration centers. As well as the presence of security forces
within the terms of the percentage of the registration centers (26%) of the
reports indicated the presence of security forces within the center, despite
instructions not to allow them to enter. Therefore, we believe it must be
stressed that this phenomenon is negative and inconsistent with the
orientations of the UNHCR in this regard. It is also important to point out
that the presence of agents of political entities, especially from rival
parties play an important role in preventing the recurrence of this negative
phenomenon.
In response to a question: Is one allowed to register on behalf of
another? Shows that the percentage (71%), observers responded yes, while the
proportion of denials (29%) of the sample is not a registration process on
behalf of. The reason for the high incidence of these processes to the
instructions of the commission, which allow the registration process on
behalf of the mission to facilitate the registration of citizens. Regardless
of any justification, it could be argued that these percentages are high,
and we believe that this procedure is not true, and that all voters to
attend in person to the registration center, in order to check data and the
deletion of the deceased and living outside Iraq.
The other hand, the sample did not record any cases of multiple
recording (recording-bis), as all members of the sample responded (100%) and
non-occurrence of such abuses.
And adding names to the register of voters, it was noted that names of those
who are eligible to vote was not listed in the register of voters.
Regardless of the reasons (some of them may have reached the age of eighteen
and just other names had been inadvertently omitted the names of the ration
cards were transferred recently to the new housing ... etc.) and the
proportion of the sample, which noted that the addition of the names of
voters who are entitled to register to vote during the Our report is the
current (94.5%%).
Abstracts
Follow-up to provide daily and periodic reports on the process of updating
the voter register during the registration campaign (5-25 very 10/6/2009),
to develop some of the lessons and conclusions can be summarized in the
following cases:
1. Worked the Independent High Electoral Commission, the readiness is high,
where the dissemination of voter registration centers on time, and provided
technical and logistical requirements for the centers, and always followed
the course of the day, there is the direct supervision of the Council and
that represented Mufodien Hamdieh Ms. Husseini and survival in the Office of
UNHCR in the region. The address of the daily work of the gaps and
imperfections, a positive effect in the conduct of the work and overcome the
points of the defect, and hearing officers in the Office of the observations
made to them, and was respected and appreciated, and encouraged the positive
engagement for the success of the work.
2. It turned out that the voter registration process took place smoothly and
without incidents or security breaches.
3. Marked improvement in the activity of the Independent High Electoral
Commission. This is reflected in the following indicators:
• the constant visits of the Directors of voter registration centers in the
provinces and this gives support and attention to the cadres and the Office
of the voter registration process.
• the presence of members of the task of registration centers in time for
the start of registration.
• choose the best sites for the registration centers.
• technical preparations required by the process (the register of voters,
registration forms, stationery ... etc.) was a good show and is ready for
this process early.
• the entry of the voter registration centers have been on a regular basis,
and this demonstrates the good preparation by the Commission.
• remarkable cooperation between UNHCR staff and agents of the electorate
and the political entities in general. This was reflected in the lack of
registration of complaints against the Office of the reports received by us.
• not be paid any observer of the registration centers during the period of
our present, and this is the case of positive attention must be given in the
next electoral processes, and may indicate increased awareness and mutual
respect between staff and observers of the Office of civil society
organizations and respect for the laws and regulations issued by the
Electoral Commission.
• the attention of political parties was clear the process of voter
registration, especially in the recent period. This is reflected in the
marked presence of a number of representatives of political entities in the
voter registration centers.
• secondment of the necessary attention to the many procedural issues,
particularly the monitoring of registered voters and make sure papers, it
was the performance in this area very well and should be strengthened and
developed in the next stage.
• included the voter registration process, some negative phenomena, efforts
must be made to overcome them later. Among these phenomena: the continued
presence of unauthorized persons within the registration centers, including
members of the security forces, which is supposed to have a presence outside
the registration centers to protect even a small percentage, but they are
completely without justification, contrary to the laws of the elections and
with the orientations of the Independent High Electoral Commission in this
regard .
The charts below to incorporate the answers to the observers as a model and
control adopted by the reports received from our observers, and 896 of the
report
