IRI Launches New Website

December 19, 2003

December 9 -- IRI's Indonesia program launched a website that will provide access to important Indonesia election-related information. The website is part of IRI Indonesia's program to prepare political parties for the 2004 parliamentary and presidential elections. Available in both Bahasa and English, the website (www.iri-indonesia.org) will be an important resource of campaign related materials such as election laws, national and regional opinion polls, the schedule of IRI trainings and actual IRI training materials. More information and links to other sources of information will be added over time.

The website is an important tool in IRI's effort to provide election-related information, particularly training materials, to very broad audience which includes all political parties, political activists and civil society organizations in Indonesia. Due to resource constraints, IRI must focus most of its efforts on the 24 political parties eligible for the 2004 General Election ballot and its six program provinces. The website enables IRI to reach beyond these targets and provide information and practical materials to many more people.

IRI first launched the website in Jakarta on Dec. 9 with 60 representatives of political parties in attendance. Other website launches took place in the cities of Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Banjarmasin, Makassar, Medan, and Surabaya. Outside Jakarta, IRI is giving the 24 eligible political parties free introductory Internet packages. All 24 parties have been represented at one or more of the website launches.

Response to the website has been very positive. Already, the website's "Contact Us" interactive communications feature has received comments and questions from Jakarta political party members. The Indonesian state-owned radio station, Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI), carried a story praising the website.

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