II ~I ~ ~II~ ~~ ~II ~ ~II - IFES

IFES Pre-electionAssessment: Burundipreparation; simplified balloting and counting systems; and training of election staff at all levelsfrom census taking to counting and reporting of election results. Assistance to thegovernment's civic education program, and aid to non-governmental organizations' efforts inthis area, will also be necessary. The IFES team has identified needs as well in the area ofcommunications. Supplementing the existing communications network would add credibilityand speed to the process. Transportation and logistics concerns are also recognized and mustbe addressed.An important concern is one of economizing on costs without minimizing the transparency andsecurity of the electoral system and the secrecy of the balloting. The IFES team stronglyrecommends that efforts be made to reduce costs to the minimum. The main consideration isthat once a system is established, it becomes difficult to modify. This becomes even moreimportant when the country must cover on its own the costs of future democratic election.To offer additional credibility to the process, the international community should be invited toI participate as observers in this move to democracy. The IFES team feels that observers should1monitor the election, not only on election day but throughout the campaign period.To be most effective, the technical assistance and civic education should begin as soon aspossible. The IFES team recommends that a team of technical experts be dispatched soon toassist in the establishment of election procedures. Once this is done, a training program forelection officials should be established to train trainers. It is primarily the responsibility ofthe Burundi government to train their election personnel. The international community canassist in the preparation of training materials. The preparation of a comprehensive electionguide covering the duties of all election workers is imperative.The IFES team found a certain fragility in Burundi's transition to a free and open multi-partypolitical system. Many potential stumbling blocks lie on the road toward democracy, and thereremains the possibility that process will fall short of its goal. Assistance from the internationalcommunity is essential to complement, but not to replace, efforts by all elements of Burundisociety to ensure that this difficult and historic process leads to free and fair elections in 1993and beyond that to a strong and stable democracy for the betterment of the lives of all of4