|
|
| Namibian human rights body banned from observing elections
|
|
|
| |
Windhoek, Namibia (PANA) -
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has banned
a local human rights body, National Society for
Human Rights (NSHR), from observing and monitoring this weekendâ?s presidential
and national assembly elections in the country.
ECN said Tuesday that NSHRâ?s accreditation to observe the polls had been withd
rawn, after NSHR claimed there were irregularities in the
voters' list, a claim echoed by the opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress
(RDP).
The NSHR, which has on numerous occasions clashed with government, claimed last
Thursday that it had a â~dossier of gross irregularitiesâ? claiming
that there are 132 under-aged voters, 103 voters who have registered twice and 1
2 people who registered to vote after the deadline for registration
had expired.
The allegations were also taken up by the RDP, which accused the ECN of creating
loopholes for vote rigging. But the ECN has said that the voterâ?s
roll is in order and that the NSHR wants to damage the credibility of the electi
ons.
Namibians go to the polls on Friday to choose a president and parliamentarians.
Although 14 parties are contesting both the presidential and
parliamentarian polls, the elections have become a two-party race, pitting the r
uling Swapo party against the opposition RDP.
â?Its deliberate attempts to mislead the public and cast doubt over the rights
and eligibility of some Namibian citizens to vote in these elections clearly ind
i
cates
that your (NSHR) organisation can no longer be seen as a credible, fair, transpa
rent, honest and objective observer of the elections,'' ECN said.
The ECN also accused NSHR of colluding with opposition parties, saying: â?This
action has duly compromised your integrity and credibility as an
election observer. Revealing information through the media about eligible voters
, directly or indirectly about the way they could vote, compromises the secrecy
of their votes.â?
â?Unnecessary whistle blowing sometimes leads to voter apathy, increased politi
cal tension and contested results which leads to wastage of limited financial re
s
ources
on recounting and court cases,â? the ECN said.
Meanwhile, the NSHR has said it will legally challenge the decision by the elect
oral body.
In another development, a 17-member Pan-African Parliament (PAP) election observ
er team arrived in the country Monday to observer the polls.
The mission is headed by Ambrose Dery, an MP for Ghana, and comprises parliament
arians from five regions in Africa, backed by 11 support staff members from
the PAP secretariat and Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA).
|
| |
| Windhoek - 24/11/2009 |
| |
|
|