MUSCAT -- Tawasul Global Connections Centre hosted discussions for the launch of their first policy paper titled, 'Majlis A'shura Electoral System Normative Analysis', at a specially held press conference, at the InterContinental Hotel Muscat, yesterday.
A panel of parliamentaris, thinkers and intellectuals -- made up of Rahila bint Amer al Riyami, Member of the State Council and former Shura Member; Lamis bint Abdullah al Ta'ei and Muna bint Mahfoudh al Manthari, State Council Members; Dr Mohammed bin Ahmed al Ansari, Assistant Secretary-General of the Shura Council; Dr Sadiq Jawad Sulaiman, Chairman of Omani Society for Writers and Literati and the writer Said bin Sultan al Hashmi -- discussed the findings of the paper with media representatives.
"This policy research paper is a part of our efforts that are in line with His Majesty the Sultan's vision, which emphasises the importance of civic participation in all fields, including Shura," said Khalid Alsafi al Haribi, the discussion's facilitator and Tawasuls' Managing Director. He added, "This discussion marks the start of a series of intellectual activities and contributions, in the form of policy research papers, which will represent an independent scholarly research sponsored by civil society.
The themes of these research papers are selected after consultations with researchers and stakeholders in the concerned fields." Researcher, Ahmed bin Ali al Mukhaini, Tawasul's Strategic Studies Consultant -- who gave a presentation on the subject -- considers this paper, "a result of a thorough academic parliamentarian field study, which aims to discuss one of the most important issues related to civic participation in Omani society."
He added, "The paper is based on two principles, first is that the electoral process is multilateral, which must be viewed in its larger political and societal contexts. Second, evaluating and assessing the electoral process must follow an objective method that is measurable, repeatable and comparable to electoral processes in other countries."
Al Mukhaini said, the research paper reached three main conclusions, the first is regarding "electoral culture", which includes: intensifying electoral awareness campaigns to promote electoral awareness, conducting opinion polls to gauge voters attitudes and widening the election campaign opportunities to increase interactions between voters and candidates.
The second conclusion is related to enhancing the appropriate implementation of electoral procedures via: establishing an independent judiciary authority to oversee elections, reviewing the elections regulations and promulgating it as a national law, conducting surveys to evaluate all phases of the process, using information and communications technology in updating the electoral register and linking it to the Civil Register.
The third conclusion is related to assuring the effectiveness of the electoral process through: reviewing the electoral districts and separating the administrative from the electoral districts, empowering Majlis Ash'shura with wider legislative powers to encourage voters' confidence in the significance of the electoral process and training the candidates, females and males and their representatives, on appropriate behaviour and regulations.
Panel members gave their thoughts on the paper and pointed out necessary additional requirements that need to be taken into account. They recognised that it is an important initial paper and praised the work of Tawasul in this regard. They noted some oversights, including the style of approach of the paper, where types of democracies, matters of principle and their application have to be clarified. Further, a civil rather than judicial body is required to oversee the election process, as the judiciary is only concerned with the law.
Other important points for consideration brought up by the panel included the distribution of seats where heavily populated areas need more seats than those of lower populated ones, proper implementation of recommendations, a need for the constitutionalisation of the Council of Oman, but not on the procedural side this should take a legal form as laws can be amended whereas the constitution cannot. Further, there should be access to the media and allowance of freedom of expression.
By Ali Ahmed al Riyami
© Oman Daily Observer 2010
