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Watchdog 'ignores the disabled' Negligence has endangered votes from 300,000 disabled citizens who cannot reach the polls without assistance, according to a deputy of the governing party- 02Disabled ignored in local elections GOKSEL BOZKURT ANKARA Daily News Parliament Bureau K?W Negligence by Turkey's election watchdog has endangered votes from 300,000 disabled citizens who cannot reach the polls without assistance, according to a deputy of the governing party. "The Supreme Election Board (YSK) has ignored the disabled and has not made any arrangements to allow them to cast their votes in a proper way," said Justice and Development Party, or AKP, deputy Lokman Ayva, who himself is visually impaired. "We have no power other than democracy. How can we raise our voice in relation to issues concerned with the disabled if we cannot use our right to vote?" said Ayva, an activist for the rights of disabled people, speaking to the Hiirriyet Daily News & Economic Review. Ayva said he discussed the issue with many authorities, including President Abdullah Gul and Justice Minister Mehmet Ali §ahin. "I also asked for an appointment with the YSK but no one has returned my calls." Ayva takes issue to ECHR Ayva said the YSK has infringed on the Constitution and he is determined to take the issue to an international platform. "No legal way is left to solve the problem at home. I will apply to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)," he said. According to the Basic Rules of Elections law, YSK is required to supply disabled voters with the necessary conditions to cast their votes with ease. Under the current application, YSK determines who is disabled when local authorities publish the list of voters and places ballot boxes appropriately. Disabled voters are also given priority during the voting and allowed to cast their votes with help from relatives or any other voters. Ayva criticized the application, saying there An AKP deputy accuses YSK of not taking the necessary measures to supply the disabled with necessary facilities to cast their votes. He says there are 300,000 disabled people who will have difficulties to go to the polls without getting help, adding that he will apply to the ECHR RIGHT TO VOTE: How can we raise our voice in relation to issues concerned with the disabled if we cannot use our right to vote, says AKP deputy Lokman Ayva. may be some who do not want to vote in front of another person. Ayva said special (Measures should be taken to enable disabled citizens to vote in private. "Central Bank prepared special templates for the blind to recognize the money. YSK could also prepare similar templates to enable voting," Ayva said. Besides the visually impaired, he said other disabled voters who use wheelchairs or crutches struggle as well. "There are 300,000 disabled people in this category. If he is in a wheelchair, how will he go to the poll?" Ayva said, adding that the disabled should not be put in difficult situations. He said special efforts are made to ease the process for disabled voters in Western countries and that YSK should also take such measures. "YSK staff should meet a disabled voter at his home and accompany him to the poll and back," he said. 23.03.2009 HÜRRİYET DAILY NEWS
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