"In general, the 2024 local elections in disaster-affected areas went well, although extra attention was required in emergency centers," Maran said in his statement on Thursday.
Maran highlighted the significant challenge of mobilizing refugees, who were scattered across several locations, to cast their votes at their respective polling stations during the election on Wednesday (November 27).
To address the issue, the local authority provided vehicles to transport refugees from their current places to polling stations, he noted.
"We exerted to mobilize residents scattered at refugee centers or sought shelter in their relatives' places to vote," the regional secretary said. Meanwhile, East Flores District legislature speaker Albertus Senuor, who observed the voting process at polling stations set up in refugee centers, commended the smooth conduct of the election amid the disaster response period.
"We affirmed that voting is a constitutional right, and the government, through its agencies, must ensure the process is carried out regardless of the situation," Senuor remarked.
To accommodate displaced voters, the local electoral authorities established 22 polling stations at various refugee centers following the Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption.
As of November 26, 2024, the Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption has resulted in nine fatalities and forced 13,175 residents to evacuate, with 5,559 seeking shelter at refugee centers and 7,616 relocating to the homes of relatives.
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Translator: Kornelis Kaha, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
