Project description

Title: Support for Voter Registration in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam
Commissioned by: German Federal Foreign Office
Country: Indonesia
Lead executing agency: Aceh Independent Election Commission (KIP)
Overall term: January to June 2006

Context

The Helsinki Peace Accord was signed on August 15, 2005, between the Indonesian Government and the Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM). The treaty stipulates direct elections of the provincial governor and district regents in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam. Following the handing over of weapons by the GAM to the EU-appointed Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM), these elections constitute an important milestone in the peace process after decades of armed conflict and of a state of emergency. A due process of voter registration plays a central role in the preparation of these elections. However, major challenges still have to be faced: the displacement of refugees in the wake of the tsunami, the generally poor transit infrastructure in Aceh, the limited staff and financial capacities of the Independent Election Commission, and the fragmentary state of residents lists.

Objective

All Acehnese citizens who are entitled to vote are registered in carefully compiled and published lists of voters that serve as a basis for the regional elections as agreed in the Helsinki Peace Accord.

Approach

GTZ supports the election commission in 21 districts and cities as well as at provincial level, both financially and technically, with voter registration according to regulations. Precise stipulation of technical procedures, work plans, budgeted funds and responsibilities as outlined in the existing regulatory framework creates clarity and transparency in the distribution of tasks and funding allotted.

In addition, the election commission will be supported with implementation, constant monitoring and documentation of activities at the lower administrative levels and in villages and towns, and also with data processing. Further, the election commission, with project support, produces and distributes information to the population on voter registration processes and procedures. With an eye to harmonising the registered-voter lists with residents’ lists for the issuing of ID cards, the project cooperates closely with the current GTZ-supported projects to improve population administration on the central level and in the province of Aceh.

Results achieved so far

In April 2006, voter registration was conducted anew in 234 sub-districts and 5,960 villages.

To ensure transparency and due process, a monitoring unit was set up on the municipal level. In addition, an independent team of auditors will continuously oversee financial management in the municipal authorities.

As a preparatory measure for the compiling of data, courses of training were held for a total of 11,000 registration officers.

Materials for information campaigns include radio and TV spots, posters, information boards and brochures. Both the broadcasting of the radio and TV spots and distribution of the printed materials have already started. A concept for forgery-proof data entry and processing was developed, together with the relevant computer programs.