Urgent inquiry needed into East Timor election

PRLog (Press Release) – Apr 12, 2007 – An Australian who was an International Observer at East Timor’s election has called for Western Governments to seek an urgent inquiry into the conduct of the Presidential Election in the country.
Peter Westmore, President of the National Civic Council, returned to Australia on Wednesday.
He said, "Although the voting was entirely peaceful, it is very disturbing that six candidates should have queried the conduct of the election."
He said that in the polling centre where he spent the day, a surplus of ballot papers were delivered. "We were told by the UN that every polling centre received a surplus of 15 per cent more ballot papers than the number of people registered there, as people were able to vote wherever they wished across East Timor."
Yet East Timor's National Election Commission was reported to have said that there was a shortage of ballot papers in all districts.
"I find it impossible to understand why the National Election Commission reported an 'emergency situation' on polling day, with a shortage of ballot papers in all districts, as was reported in the international and Australian media.
"I contacted KOMEG (Koligasaun Monitorizasaun ba Eleisaun Geral), the Coalition to Monitor the General Election, the largest national election monitoring organisation in East Timor. KOMEG had over 1000 observers stationed around East Timor last Monday.
The General Secretary of KOMEG, Joao Travolta, confirmed to me that KOMEG was dissatisfied with the poll count.
"Only an independent inquiry will resolve the great uncertainties which surround the first round of the Presidential election, and restore public confidence in the process," Mr Westmore concluded.