National Scene Magazine April 2010 International Article

National Scene Magazine April 2010 International Article

http://www.nationalscenemagazine.com/html/other_news.html


Will the Iraqi Election Go According to Plan?

UN Helps Iraq Prepare for the Parliamentary Election

Written by: Karen Benardello


The parliamentary election in Iraq on March 7 will be the turning point for the Iraqi people, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Ad Melkert, declared. The United Nations’ website, www.un.org, reported two days before the elections were slated to take place that Melkert, the top United Nations official in Iraq, also proclaimed the election is a very decisive moment for the country, possibly the most crucial since the 2003 invasion.

The election allowed the nearly 19 million Iraqis registered to vote a chance to elect a new Council of Representatives. “Now is the chance, against the backdrop of the withdrawal of the American troops in the next few years, that Iraqis really define by themselves their own way forward, their own destiny,” Melkert also said. “And the election is of course not the only thing, but it’s very vital to bring all Iraqis on board that process towards the future.”

The UN helped Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission launch a massive operation to prepare for the election. Nearly 50,000 polling stations in Iraq were prepared to open, and 16 other nations were also prepared to allow Iraqis to vote.

A new data entry center was also opened in Baghdad, which was a smart decision. The country had to make sure that all the votes were tallied under tight security, as every citizen’s voice should be heard. “We have done everything possible to make sure to provide all conditions to facilitate polling, counting and data tabulation,” Panto Letic of the UN’s electoral assistance unit told reporters in Baghdad.

The UN rightfully exerted its power by updating voter registration and allowing citizens to check and make sure their information on file was accurate. The UN is also rightfully stepping in by providing training to election officials, including polling station workers. Poll workers need to have proper training, so they can verify that the votes went through, and the Iraqi citizens can be heard.