Rights Body to Field Monitoring Team in Aceh

Banda Aceh, Aceh - The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) plans to field four teams to monitor the people of Aceh in exercising their rights in the governor and district head elections in the province on April 9. "Komnas HAM will field four teams to monitor polls in 10 districts and municipalities," Komnas HAM Chief Ifdhal Kasim said here on Sunday. The first team would monitor elections in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar, the second team in Pidie, Lhokseumawe, Bireuen, and North Aceh districts, the third team in Central Aceh district, and the fourth team in Aceh Jaya and West Aceh districts, he said. Besides monitoring the elections, the rights body would also record the number of voters in the voters' registers who exercise and do not exercise their rights, he said. He said the rights to vote were the basic rights of every citizens that the state must guarantee in accordance with the 1945 Constitution, Law No. 39/1999 on Human Rights, Law No. 12/2005 on Ratification of Convention on Civil and Political Rights. "So whether or not people will exercise their rights in the regional head elections depend on the people concerned," he said. (*)