Inspire voter confidence ahead of NPC poll: C’wealth monitors

Friday, 20 September 2013 03:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Commonwealth Election Observer Mission for the Northern Provincial Council have called on all stakeholders to promote confidence in voters to freely exercise their franchise, thereby marking a forward step in the post-conflict development in the region. Issuing an ‘arrival statement’ the Head of the Mission Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, former Vice President of Kenya said the task of the mission was to consider all the factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole, and to assess whether the election is conducted according to the standards for democratic elections to which Sri Lanka has committed itself, with reference to its own election legislation as well as relevant

regional, Commonwealth and other international commitments. “We will consider, among other things, whether conditions exist for free and competitive elections; whether the Elections Commission is independent and effective; the transparency of the process; whether candidates have been free to campaign; what role the media has played; whether voters have been free to express their will; and whether the results process is transparent,” Musyoka’s statement said. The Head of Mission pledged that in conducting our duties and undertaking our assessment, we will be neutral, impartial, objective and independent. “We are here in our individual capacities as eminent and experienced Commonwealth citizens. The assessment by the Mission will be its own and not that of any member government. Our intent is to offer constructive support to help strengthen the democratic process in the future,” the statement said. Musyoka said that the five member mission had already met with political parties, the Commissioner of Elections, domestic observers and international partners in Colombo. “Over the coming days we will be meeting with relevant stakeholders in the Northern Province, including party representatives, civil society and the media. We will then deploy across the Province to observe the conclusion of the campaigning and thereafter the voting, counting and results process. We will issue an Interim Statement after the election and a final report thereafter,” the head of Mission said. The mission compromises Jenni McMullan, Former Electoral Officer for Victoria, Australia; Dr Shamsul Huda, Former Chief Election Commissioner, Bangladesh; and Examin Philbert, Secretary, Caribbean Association of Local Government Authorities, St Lucia.