Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MONROVIA970
2008-11-28 17:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Monrovia
Cable title:
LIBERIA: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSIONS PREP FOR 2011 RACE
how-toVZCZCXRO1857 RR RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHMV #0970 3331711 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 281711Z NOV 08 FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0567 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS MONROVIA 000970
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSIONS PREP FOR 2011 RACE
WITH ELECTIONS COMMISSION
REF: MONROVIA 826
UNCLAS MONROVIA 000970
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSIONS PREP FOR 2011 RACE
WITH ELECTIONS COMMISSION
REF: MONROVIA 826
1. SUMMARY: The Ambassador met with the National Elections
Commission (NEC) November 28 to discuss preparations for the
2011 presidential election. NEC shares our view that a free,
fair, and on-time election is a crucial milestone in
Liberia's democratic transition, but remains concerned any
further delay by the Legislature will make it difficult to
complete everything in time. NEC expressed its gratitute for
ongoing USG assistance, and was pleased to hear from USAID
that its new building should be ready in a year. END SUMMARY.
PREPARATION FOR 2011
2. NEC Chairman James Fromayan expressed his frustration that
the Legislature did not pass the threshold population bill
(reftel) before it recessed for break and complained that
Members from rural counties were doing whatever they could to
stall it. He said he wished House Speaker Alex Tyler (from
rural Bomi County) had shown more leadership in fulfilling
the Legislature's mandate to set the threshold rather than
selfishly worrying about his own seat. Co-Chairman Elizabeth
Nelson worried that the Legislature would settle the issue by
apportioning seats to particular counties, side-stepping
NEC's constitutional mandate to delineate districts based
upon the most recent census.
3. On voter registration, Nelson stressed that it was
important that NEC allow six months to a year to do the
process well. With many refugees who have returned home and
many youth who have turned 18 since the last registration in
2005, any election held using the 2005 register would not
reflect the will of today's Liberian people. After the
meeting, the Commissioners took the Ambassador to see their
voter registration software system.
4. Fromayan said that in order to hold a Constitutional
referendum on the election of local officals, the Legislature
would first need to pass the Boundary Harmonization Exercise
bill that is before it. That bill establishes criteria for
what constitutes a "city" and officially names only Monrovia
and the 15 county seats as cities. NEC could not possibly
organize elections for the hundreds of "cities" (some with
population of less than 100) that are currently on the books,
but it would be able to manage elections for those 16 cities.
Fromayan again accused the Legislature of dragging their
feet on this bill.
5. Fromayan said he expected fewer presidential candidates in
2011 (vice the 22 who ran in 2005) because smaller parties
would form coalitions. Fromayan also said that NEC expected
to win its court case soon to close ten "briefcase" parties
that do not have the required Monrovia-based headquarters to
be considered legally legitimate. He said that NEC had to be
flexible on party regulations in 2005 because the country was
just emerging from war, but said that NEC would be much
stricter about enforcing the rules for the next race. He
said having fewer candidates would help Liberian parties to
move past being personality-based to being more
policy-platform orientated.
USG ASSISTANCE
6. All of the NEC Commissioners were pleased to hear that
USAID would finish the bidding process on NEC's new building
in January and should complete the structure within a year.
Fromayan was grateful for USG-funded International Foundation
for Electoral Systems' support to NEC and its promotion of
civic education throughout Liberia. Fromayan, who just
returned from an IV program to observe our presidential
election, was impressed by American voters' enthusiasm and by
the "maturity" of U.S. democracy, including how Senator
McCain gracefully conceeded defeat.
7. COMMENT: The presence of the entire commission at the
meeting (except for one commissioner who was unable to
attend) demonstrated the NEC's appreciation for U.S.
assistance. NEC shares our view that a free, fair, and
on-time 2011 election is a crucial milestone in Liberia's
democratic transition, but is clearly worried about delays in
the Legislature passing the requisite legislation. We will
continue to raise the issue with Executive and Legislative
leaders and stress that Liberia's second successful
presidential election will be a signal to the world that
democracy has finally grown strong roots here. END COMMENT.
THOMAS-GREENFIELD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSIONS PREP FOR 2011 RACE
WITH ELECTIONS COMMISSION
REF: MONROVIA 826
1. SUMMARY: The Ambassador met with the National Elections
Commission (NEC) November 28 to discuss preparations for the
2011 presidential election. NEC shares our view that a free,
fair, and on-time election is a crucial milestone in
Liberia's democratic transition, but remains concerned any
further delay by the Legislature will make it difficult to
complete everything in time. NEC expressed its gratitute for
ongoing USG assistance, and was pleased to hear from USAID
that its new building should be ready in a year. END SUMMARY.
PREPARATION FOR 2011
2. NEC Chairman James Fromayan expressed his frustration that
the Legislature did not pass the threshold population bill
(reftel) before it recessed for break and complained that
Members from rural counties were doing whatever they could to
stall it. He said he wished House Speaker Alex Tyler (from
rural Bomi County) had shown more leadership in fulfilling
the Legislature's mandate to set the threshold rather than
selfishly worrying about his own seat. Co-Chairman Elizabeth
Nelson worried that the Legislature would settle the issue by
apportioning seats to particular counties, side-stepping
NEC's constitutional mandate to delineate districts based
upon the most recent census.
3. On voter registration, Nelson stressed that it was
important that NEC allow six months to a year to do the
process well. With many refugees who have returned home and
many youth who have turned 18 since the last registration in
2005, any election held using the 2005 register would not
reflect the will of today's Liberian people. After the
meeting, the Commissioners took the Ambassador to see their
voter registration software system.
4. Fromayan said that in order to hold a Constitutional
referendum on the election of local officals, the Legislature
would first need to pass the Boundary Harmonization Exercise
bill that is before it. That bill establishes criteria for
what constitutes a "city" and officially names only Monrovia
and the 15 county seats as cities. NEC could not possibly
organize elections for the hundreds of "cities" (some with
population of less than 100) that are currently on the books,
but it would be able to manage elections for those 16 cities.
Fromayan again accused the Legislature of dragging their
feet on this bill.
5. Fromayan said he expected fewer presidential candidates in
2011 (vice the 22 who ran in 2005) because smaller parties
would form coalitions. Fromayan also said that NEC expected
to win its court case soon to close ten "briefcase" parties
that do not have the required Monrovia-based headquarters to
be considered legally legitimate. He said that NEC had to be
flexible on party regulations in 2005 because the country was
just emerging from war, but said that NEC would be much
stricter about enforcing the rules for the next race. He
said having fewer candidates would help Liberian parties to
move past being personality-based to being more
policy-platform orientated.
USG ASSISTANCE
6. All of the NEC Commissioners were pleased to hear that
USAID would finish the bidding process on NEC's new building
in January and should complete the structure within a year.
Fromayan was grateful for USG-funded International Foundation
for Electoral Systems' support to NEC and its promotion of
civic education throughout Liberia. Fromayan, who just
returned from an IV program to observe our presidential
election, was impressed by American voters' enthusiasm and by
the "maturity" of U.S. democracy, including how Senator
McCain gracefully conceeded defeat.
7. COMMENT: The presence of the entire commission at the
meeting (except for one commissioner who was unable to
attend) demonstrated the NEC's appreciation for U.S.
assistance. NEC shares our view that a free, fair, and
on-time 2011 election is a crucial milestone in Liberia's
democratic transition, but is clearly worried about delays in
the Legislature passing the requisite legislation. We will
continue to raise the issue with Executive and Legislative
leaders and stress that Liberia's second successful
presidential election will be a signal to the world that
democracy has finally grown strong roots here. END COMMENT.
THOMAS-GREENFIELD