NTT KPU Prepares Follow The Voters Policy For Victims Of The Flotim Men's Mount Lewotobi Eruption

The billboard is an example of the 2024 Election Voice Letter installed in front of the evacuation site for victims of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki, in Konga, Titehena District, East Flores Regency, NTT. (ANTARA/Fransiska Mariana Nuka)

The General Election Commission (KPU) of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province has prepared a follow-the voter policy or service to follow voters' movements in the February 14, 2024 vote at the location of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki, East Flores Regency. "The KPU is ready to serve the refugees to exercise their voting rights with a follow-the-voters policy, following the voters' movements," said NTT KPU chairman Thomas Dohu in Kupang, Antara, Tuesday, January 16. The Lewotobi Male Volcano in Wulanggitang District is at level IV or alert with volcanic activity that is observed to be still high. Some villagers from sub-districts affected by the volcanic eruption, namely Ile Bura and Wulangitang sub-districts, have fled to evacuation posts and residents' houses. The volcanic eruption disaster will certainly affect the voting process as prepared by the KPU. In order for the rights of residents who have fled to be fulfilled, said Thomas, the KPU has collected data on the number of displaced voters, either to the evacuation posts, residents' houses in the two sub-districts, or to evacuate outside East Flores Regency. If the data has been completed, the KPU will also prepare a polling station (TPS) for the refugees. "It is possible for them to choose outside the polling station location that has been designated so far because of the disaster. Serve the right to select him in refugee camps," said Thomas. For voters who fled to other districts outside East Flores or outside the posts set by the government, Thomas explained that the KPU carried out data collection and took care of additional voter lists. According to him, the number of voters who have fled has not been fixed because there is still movement from one place to another. Therefore, the NTT KPU continues to monitor the movement of voters who evacuate from one post to another. "We continue to monitor how many, whether they remain, decrease, depending on the disaster situation. In principle, the KPU is ready to serve the refugees to exercise their right to vote," he said committed.

Based on data from the East Flores Regency KPU, 17 polling stations were spread across five affected villages in Wulanggitang District. Meanwhile, nine polling stations were spread over three affected villages in Ile Bura District.