FOR the first time in more than 20 years, locals will be allowed to observe Fiji’s election.
Nilesh Lal, the CEO of the Centre for Democracy and Dialogue Fiji, said while domestic observation was provided in the 2006 elections, and despite three elections since, civil society was never authorised.
Mr Lal said under Fiji’s current framework, approval for observers rested with the minister responsible for elections, who was a political actor and often a contestant.
“What is positive this time is there has actively been cooperation on the part of the Ministry of Justice,” he said.
He said domestic observers supplemented international groups because they understand local nuances better and can pick up irregular practices foreign missions may miss.
Mr Lal said the terms of reference would give the group independence, like the multinational observer group, and protect its findings from Government interference. Mr Lal also stressed the importance of monitoring the campaign period and reminded the public that the group would need their full support. “Observation should start from the campaign period, not just polling day, given Fiji’s two-week pre-poll period.”
Seven civil society organisations signed a memorandum of understanding to form the Citizens Observer Group (COG) these were Caritas Fiji, Centre for Democracy and Dialogue (CDD), femLINKpacific, Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Pacific Centre for Peacebuilding, Social Empowerment Education Programme (SEEP), and Transparency and Integrity Fiji (TIF).
The signing was witnessed by International IDEA, which has been tasked by the Fijian Government to prepare domestic observers.
