A damper on a feast<\/p>\n
The recent ruling announced by Waluyo, the deputy secretary
\ngeneral of the General Elections Institute, that all campaign
\ntelevision speeches broadcast in the run-up to the upcoming
\ngeneral elections must be screened by the government before they
\ngo on air, sounds familiar.<\/p>\n
\"The screening team will ensure that the speeches do not
\nundermine (the state ideology) Pancasila, slander government
\nofficials or attack other election contestants,\" Waluyo said.<\/p>\n
We heard that familiar line five years ago. We also heard it
\nten, fifteen and twenty years ago -- every time a general
\nelection was to be held. In short, it is not a new rule. What is
\nnew, though, is perhaps the fact that this time the General
\nElections Institute is audaciously assuring the public that the
\nscreening is in no way a form of censorship -- which is, of
\ncourse, an absurd statement since to any sensible mind, screening
\nin any manner is by definition a form of censorship.<\/p>\n
It must be admitted that given the grave impact of the riots
\nwhich have been occurring in alarming frequency recently, one can
\neasily understand why the authorities are wary of any expressions
\nof discontent or indignation that are made in public. The same,
\nof course, goes for public gatherings, which in a worst-case
\nscenario might become unmanageable and lead to public unrest.<\/p>\n
The imposition of restrictions and censorship have somehow
\ncast a shadow on the upcoming general election, which the
\ngovernment likes to dub a \"festival of democracy\". But surely a
\nfestival in which any of the merry-making parties are barred from
\nexercising their basic rights, such as the freedom of speech and
\nexpression, can hardly be called a festival of democracy,
\nparticularly if any of the parties -- particularly the less
\ninfluential ones -- will be disadvantaged by the ruling.<\/p>\n
But fear of possible unrest aside, the screening of the
\ncampaign broadcast speeches plus the ban on outdoor rallies is
\nseen by many as an indication that the government is determined
\nto ensure a \"successful\" general election in May and that
\nwhatever means that are necessary to ensure success must be
\ntaken.<\/p>\n
It is also within this context that the government last week
\nissued a decree to restrict major gatherings by political and
\nsocial organizations in the run-up to the May general election --
\ncontrary to statements made by certain government officials last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
These restrictions will surely disillusion many of the twenty
\nmillion odd first-time voters who are looking forward to
\nexercising their birthright as citizens of a free and democratic
\ncountry by going to the polls.<\/p>\n
Considering the present political balance in this country,
\nthere can be no doubt about the outcome of the upcoming
\nelections. We fear, however, that the facts that have just been
\nmentioned, plus the apathy that exists among wide sections of the
\npublic at large -- any discerning observer can feel it by
\ncomparing the present mood to that prevailing during previous
\nelections -- makes it doubtful whether one can truly call the
\nupcoming national poll a \"success\".<\/p>\n
Under the circumstances, as far as the minor participants in
\nthe event are concerned, the best thing that could happen is for
\nthe General Elections Institute to issue some supplemental
\ndecrees that could soften the rigor of the restrictions imposed
\nand thereby open the door to all the participating parties to
\ntruly partake in this \"festival of democracy\".<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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