Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05CAIRO6991
2005-09-08 15:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

DOMESTIC MONITORS ISSUE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM EG 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CAIRO 006991 

SIPDIS

NSC STAFF FOR POUNDS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EG
SUBJECT: DOMESTIC MONITORS ISSUE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

REF: A. CAIRO 6200

B. CAIRO 6137

Classified by ECPO Minister Counselor Michael Corbin for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

-------
Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CAIRO 006991

SIPDIS

NSC STAFF FOR POUNDS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EG
SUBJECT: DOMESTIC MONITORS ISSUE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

REF: A. CAIRO 6200

B. CAIRO 6137

Classified by ECPO Minister Counselor Michael Corbin for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (C) Several Egyptian civil society groups which observed
the September 7 election have issued preliminary findings.
Although the election results have not yet been
announced--and will likely remain unknown until Saturday at
the earliest--the domestic monitors are wasting no time in
criticizing the conduct of the elections. Given the long
history of adversarial relations between the GOE and some of
the civil society activists who were key to the monitoring
effort--as well as the unwillingess of the GOE to clarify
access rules for domestic monitors until after voting
began--is not surprising that many of their preliminary
findings accentuated the negative. We look forward to
reviewing the final reports of the civil society monitors,
carefully reviewing their evidence, and determining how their
work can support additional democratic reform. End summary.

-------------- --------------
Independent Coalition for the Election Monitoring
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) ICEM, the beneficiary of USAID-funded training
from the National Democratic Institute and of MEPI funding
for its September 7 monitoring exercise, has issued a series
of updates, the most recent at 1400 local time on September

8. ICEM noted that its 2,200 domestic observers, organized
by a coalition of 12 civil society groups, had been pleased
with the "relative absence of violence" and welcomed the
cooperation by state security services in ensuring the safety
of the monitors. ICEM acknowledged the importance of Egypt's
first competitive presidential election and welcomed the
decision by the Presidential Election Commission (PEC),
shortly after the start of voting on September 7, to admit
domestic monitors to the polls. ICEM noted that
notwithstanding the PEC's decision, many judges and election
officials refused to allow access by domestic monitors, as
well as candidate agents, "in a significant number of polling
stations."


3. (SBU) According to ICEM's calculations, voter turnout

did not exceed 18 percent. ICEM called attention to
widespread efforts by NDP activists to convince/pressure
voters to cast their ballots for Mubarak at the polling
stations. Among these efforts was a nationwide distribution
effort by the NDP of a "Voter's Guide Card." At many
stations, NDP officials controlling the desks with the voter
lists gave approved voters cards, emblazoned with Mubarak's
campaign photo and logo, which directed voters where to cast
their votes.


4. (SBU) ICEM also saw voter lists with the names of minors
and dead people, husbands voting for themselves and their
wives, and NDP activists providing small cash payments to
voters who supported Mubarak. ICEM complained that the ink
used to stain voters' fingers was easily washed off, and
noted an absence of judges (supervisors) in many rural
stations. ICEM noted that none of its monitors were allowed
to observe vote counting after polls closed at 2200 local on
September 7. ICEM asserted that this was a major area of
concern.


5. (SBU) ICEM's preliminary conclusions, which will be
modified per any relevant developments and presented in a
formal report shortly after the official results are
announced, included the following:

--the election administration authority failed to ensure the
integrity and independence of the process;

--voters did not receive clear information about relevant
electoral processes, and many remain politically apathetic;

--access by domestic observers needs to be formalized and
strengthened.

--------------
Egyptian Center for Women's Rights
--------------


6. (SBU) ECWR, which has received several MEPI grants for
activities other than election monitoring, devoted its
resources to examining the ways in which women, especially
poor women, were allegedly organized by the NDP, transported
en masse to polling stations, and influenced to cast votes in
favor of Mubarak in a number of locations in greater Cairo
and in the governorates of Tanta and Assiyut. ECWR also
charged that a number of pro-government NGOs focused on
women's issues used NGO resources to mobilize voters. If
true, this would be a violation of the GOE's restrictive NGO
law. Among its other assertions, ECWR charged that NDP women
activists offered bribes/rewards to women who voted for
Mubarak.
-------------- --
Egyptian Association for Democratic Development
-------------- --


7. (SBU) EADD focused its efforts on the Delta and the
north coast, between Port Said and Marsa Matrouh. EADD's
preliminary findings:

--turnout was low;

--pressure by NDP activists on voters to support Mubarak;

--non-resident (and unregistered) voters were sometimes
allowed to vote for Mubarak;

--exclusive NDP control over voter lists in some areas;

--voting stations situated in police stations;

--the ink used to mark voters' fingers was easily washed off.

--------------
www.shayfeen.com
--------------


8. (SBU) Shayfeen ("We're watching!" in colloquial Egyptian
Arabic) is an organization that compiles complaints from
ordinary Egyptians (submitted via phone and email) about the
electoral process. As of 1400 on September 8, Shayfeen said
that it had received hundreds of complaints from Egyptian
citizens. Complaints focused on a number of key areas,
including:

--last minute confusion over voter registration, including
who was registered and where people were supposed to vote;

--concern that the indelible ink used to mark voters who had
cast ballots was inconsistently applied and easy to wash off;

--assertions that NDP members dominated many polling stations
and often tried to sway voters as they cast their ballots;

--assertions that People's Assembly members (i.e., sitting
parliamentarians) mobilized voters for the NDP through the
provision of transport and small bribes/threats to win votes
for Mubarak;

--assertions that the judges supervising some polls refused
to allow domestic monitors to access the stations, and did
not open/close the stations at the scheduled times.


9. (SBU) Shayfeen did praise the security services for
their impartiality. Shayfeen noted that its future plans
include observation of the parliamentary elections and
general advocacy of citizens' rights as well as evaluation of
services provided by the GOE to its citizens.

--------------
Comment
--------------

(C) The domestic monitors have already made their presence
felt. The GOE has made no comment so far, and it is too
early for the domestic media to have digested the monitors'
initial press releases. Although they may appear simply to
be the bearers of bad tidings for the GOE's claim that the
election was free, fair, and transparent, the simple fact
that domestic monitors have managed to play a major oversight
role in the election is very good news. The conditions under
which they operated were far from ideal, but the relatively
permissive environment, significant USG funding (for both
direct costs and capacity building),and the dedication of
the monitors themselves have resulted in a significant
development in the Egyptian political scene. In the run up
to the parliamentary elections, a key issue will be what type
of precedent the successful deployment on September 7 of
civil society monitors throughout Egypt has set. End comment.


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