DRC ELECTIONS: CDCE/EURAC OBSERVERS PRAISE CONDUCT

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001687 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: CDCE/EURAC OBSERVERS PRAISE CONDUCT OF SECOND ROUND ¶1. (U) A joint observation mission of the Civil Society Framework for Cooperation in Election Observation (CDCE) and the European Network for Central Africa (EURAC) praised the conduct of second-round DRC elections in a statement released October 31. The mission, which included more than 50,000 Congolese observers and 100 European observers, deployed volunteers in all provinces of the country. ¶2. (U) Spokesmen for the two groups reported no evidence of systematic fraud. The statement listed certain irregularities observed by the joint mission, but emphasized that these did not constitute a pattern suggesting fraud. These included witnesses with voting cards not belonging to them, campaigning at voting centers, and gaps in observation guidelines from the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) on assisting old or illiterate voters. ¶3. (U) The statement highlighted the conclusions drawn from more than 8,800 individual voter observations of the October 29 vote, including: o Ninety-six percent of voting centers operated in an orderly and secure manner, thanks largely to the Congolese police, EUFOR, and MONUC. o Voter participation was lower than the first round, with an estimated nationwide turnout rate of 59.5 percent, versus 71 percent previously. o Electoral officials performed well in most voting centers, with 76 percent of the centers opening on time and 94 percent respecting voting and counting procedures. ¶4. (U) The CDCE/EURAC statement encouraged the CEI to continue its good work during compilation and publication of results. It also called on the international community to continue its support. MEECE