Members of the International Observers Mission yesterday said there were many factors they found disturbing and alarming in areas they observed and documented during the elections in Negros Occidental.

American observer Mullian Cheun said their three-man team visited La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Pulupandan and Valladolid towns, and Escalante and Bacolod cities in Negros Occidental.

Their mission was conducted along with the Compact for Peaceful Elections-Negros Occidental chapter.

Cheun said that, among the disturbing matters they found were patterns of violence and threats of violence in many areas, and the proliferation of private armed groups reportedly belonging to politicians as well as non-state actors like the National People's Army and the Revolutionary Proletarian Army.

There was also disenfranchisement of voters due to their exclusion from the voters list, disenfranchisement and the limitation of political participation brought about by intimidation, as well as barricades erected by certain candidates barring people unsupportive of them, Cheun said.

She also cited the violation of election laws and processes such as giving out of sample ballots in front of the polling stations, threats of eviction for failure to vote for certain candidates, reported cases of vote-buying and a lingering tradition of political dynasties.

Observer Philipp Bueck from Germany said that while these things might be considered isolated, they are put into the political center rather than the periphery because of the failure of authorities to provide correct and efficient management of elections in many areas.

Lawrence Surendra, an Indian economist and part of the mission, said observations were based on particular areas they visited.

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL NOTES

"This is not a comprehensive observation and analysis of the entire electoral process of Negros Occidental due to the limitation of areas covered and the duration of the mission," he said.

However, we believe these areas are microcosms and a substantial reflection of the general electoral exercise in the entire region, that must be collectively assessed and, if needed, be corrected, Surendra said.

"It is very clear that extreme conditions of poverty, wide disparity in wealth and income, large-scale unemployment, the existence of powerful land owning groups, provide a very disturbing context for the conduct of free and fair elections," the IOM report said, adding that this is specifically reflective of Negros Occidental.

TOO MUCH POWER

Because of those wielding too much power to advance special and personal interest , elections become a useful event to settle old scores, escalate violence and contribute to an overall atmosphere of insecurity and uncertainty among ordinary citizens, the IOM report said.

The IOM report said that, during its members interviews with different people in Negros Occidental, they were made aware of cases where landowners still used the "vote or gabut (uproot)" tactic to solicit votes.

THREATS OF EVICTION

"Threats of forced evictions of many people described as squatters have become a clear issue in this election," the report said.

"Such threat is a threat to the very right to habitat and life of many poor people whose fundamental rights are grossly violated and who then have to cast their votes in such an atmosphere of insecurity," the IOM said.

In many haciendas, the IOM report said landowners also dictate to the farmer-workers whom they should vote for.

"We have been witnesses on how polling centers themselves are located in the private property of landowners and are protected by barricades manned by private security guards barring supporters and poll watchers of political opponents," the IOM report added.

These do not constitute the conditions for the democratic and free exercise of voting in a country that describes itself as a democratic nation, the report said.

RECOGNITION, RECOMMENDATIONS

A copy of the IOM report said they recognize the selflessness and efforts made by the thousands of COMELEC officials and workers, teachers manning the precincts and the security personnel who strive hard to male the elections free and fair, devoid of violence and fraud.

The IOM team recommends that polling stations should be in an environment free of threat, intimidation and interference from private actors to ensure free and fair elections, that separating the timing of local and national elections should be seriously examined, technological modernization of the polling process be implemented and clearer guidelines be required for the conduct of elections in hotspots and areas of concern.*CPG

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