US embassy cable - 05AMMAN342

UNCLAS AMMAN 000342 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ASEC, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: IOM ANNOUNCES REGISTRATION PROCEDURES AND POLLING 
STATIONS FOR IRAQIS IN JORDAN 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 00293 
 
     B. AMMAN 00185 
     C. AMMAN 00150 
     D. 04 AMMAN 09898 
 
1. (U) At a January 12 press conference in Amman, the 
International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced the 
location of twelve registration and polling stations for 
eligible Iraqi voters in Jordan (estimated at up to 200,000 
persons) as part of its out-of-country voting (OCV) program. 
Eight of the stations are in Amman; the other four are in the 
cities of Zarqa and Irbid.  Most stations will be housed in 
school buildings and will be open for registration from 7:00 
am until 5:00 pm, January 17-23. (NOTE: Jordanian schools 
will begin a three-week winter break this weekend.  End 
note.) One of the Zarqa stations will be at the Jordanian 
International Police Training Center to accommodate cadets 
being trained for the new Iraqi police.  To register, 
eligible voters will have to present at least two acceptable 
forms of documentation issued by a recognized government, 
state agency or international institution that confirms their 
identity and Iraqi nationality.  Approved voters must cast 
their ballots from January 28-30 at the same station where 
they registered. 
 
2. (U) Lazhar Aloui, head of the IOM office in Amman, further 
announced that the IOM had recruited and trained 
approximately 1,000 Iraqis in Jordan to staff registration 
and polling stations, as well as to handle vote counting 
procedures.  (NOTE: Post contacts reported seeing very long 
lines of men and women outside the IOM office seeking 
temporary employment in recent days.  End note.) Outside of 
Iraq, Lazhar stated that there will be roughly 900 
registration and voting centers in approximately 150 
locations throughout the 14 countries participating in the 
OCV program. 
 
3. (SBU) IOM advisor on Iraqi affairs Riyad Ali said at the 
press conference that he &guaranteed8 there would be no 
legal repercussions from Jordanian authorities for Iraqis 
presenting expired residency permits at the registration 
stations.  (NOTE:  The Jordanian Public Security Directorate 
confirmed to RSO that there are no plans, at the present 
time, to take any action against Iraqis attempting to vote 
who are in the country without authorization.  End note.) 
Information on candidates, however, is still unavailable. 
The English-language Jordan Times, in interviewing local 
Iraqis on the OCV program, quoted an unnamed Iraqi as saying: 
 "This is nonsense...Of course I wouldn't be able to vote 
because I don't know who to vote for.  I have heard of 
hundreds of candidates I know nothing about." 
 
4.  (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
Visit Embassy Amman's classified website at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ 
 
or access the site through the State Department's SIPRNET 
home page. 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
HALE