ELECTORAL COMMISSIONERS ARRIVE IN DILI

Two of the newly appointed international Electoral Commissioners, Australian Michael Maley and South Korean Bong-Scuk Sohn, arrived in Dili today. The third international Commissioner, Indian Charles Rose is arriving in the coming days. The Independent Electoral Commission, comprising three international and two East Timorese Commissioners, is responsible for the organization and conduct of the 30 August elections of a Constituent Assembly for East Timor. The Board will settle disputes related to the electoral process, ensure respect for the electoral regulation and international standards for democratic election, and certify the election results and transmit them to the Secretary-General through the SRSG. The East Timorese Electoral Commissioners are expected to be appointed in the near future. Michael Maley is the Director of Research and International Services at the Australian Electoral Commission. He has served as a consultant to the United Nations in a number of peacekeeping operations, most notably as the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer for the 1993 elections in Cambodia.

Bong-Scuk Sohn is a member of the Election Commission of the Republic of Korea and served on the Electoral Commission for East Timor’s Popular Consultation in 1999. She is also the founder of the Center for Korean Women and Politics, a South Korean NGO and is involved in numerous organizations focusing on women’s issues. Charles Rose is the former Secretary of the Election Commission of India and was also UN Electoral Officer in Cambodia and an electoral observer in South Africa in 1994. SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello said today that the role of the Electoral Commissioners is vital to the success and legitimacy of the elections. “The post requires particular qualities, including the ability to exercise impartial and non-partisan judgement,” he added.

FINAL CABINET DISCUSSIONS ON COMBINED BUDGET

The East Timor Transitional Cabinet today discussed a combined sources budget for the fiscal year 2001-2002. The proposed budget will shortly be forwarded to the National Council for its consideration, in preparation for the Canberra donors conference next month. The combined sources budget includes information on the Consolidated Fund for East Timor (CFET), which covers the costs of government, the Trust Fund East Timor, which covers capital reconstruction and development projects, and expected bilateral funding. The Cabinet made very difficult decisions to achieve the CFET budgetary level which it is anticipated donors would support. A final endorsement by Cabinet on the budget is expected by the end of this week.

CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS APPLY FOR PARTY REGISTRATION

The Partido Democrata Cristão de Timor (UDC/PDC) submitted an application for registration to the Independent Electoral Commission yesterday, 15 May, in order to present candidates to the elections for the Constituent Assembly. This is the fourth party to submit an application. All party registration applications are available for public inspection at the Independent Electoral Commission headquarters in Dili for two weeks after having been submitted. Any person eligible to vote who has documents to support their claim may file an objection to an application. The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer has referred to the Board of Commissioners the party registration applications filed by Partido Democrata Cristão (PDC), Partido Democrata Cristão de Timor (UDC/PDC) and Frente Revolucionária de Timor Leste Independente (Fretilin) as a result of objections lodged against their applications for registration with the IEC.

The referral to the Board of Commissioners does not mean that the IEC has rejected those parties’ registration application. In each case, the Board of Commissioners will study the objections closely, and then issue a decision. In the case that the Board upholds the objection, the party will have the opportunity to revise its application and resubmit it to the IEC prior to the 24 June application deadline. Referral of a registration application to the Board of Commissioners is a routine procedure whenever a dispute arises. It does not imply necessarily that the party in question will not be registered with the IEC in order to present candidates for the 30 August elections. Forms for filing an objection are available at the Independent Electoral Commission. The objection can be based only on the premise that the items in the application are deficient or inaccurate, and must be supported by documentary evidence.